Ames 

B 


UNIV.  OF  CALIF.  LIBRARY,  LOS  ANGELES 


OUT  OF  THE  PRIMITIVE 


BY  THE  SAME  AUTHOR 


THE  SHOGUN'S  DAUGHTER.     With  five  illustrations 

in  color  by  W.  D.  Goldbeck. 

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A  VOLUNTEER  WITH  PIKE:  The  True  Narrative 

of  One  Dr.  John  Robinson  and  his  Love  for 

the     Fair     Senorita     Vallois.     Illustrated     in 

color  by  Charlotte   Weber-Ditzler. 

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INTO  THE  PRIMITIVE.  Illustrated  in  color  by 

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A.    C.    McCLURG   &   CO. 
CHICAGO 


Lord   James   dropped   without  a    groan.         You  coward  !  — 
you  murderer!  "  she  gasped 

[Chapter  XXX] 


OUT    OF    THE 
PRIMITIVE 


BY 
ROBERT  AMES  BENNET 

AUTHOR   OF    "INTO   THE   PRIMITIVE,"    "THE    SHOGUw's   DAUGHTER/ 
**FOR   THE    WHITE   CHRIST,"    ETC. 


WITH  ILLUSTRATIONS  IN  COLOR 
BY  ALLEN  T.  TRUE 

I 


CHICAGO 

A.  C.  McCLURG  &  CO. 
1911 


COPYRIGHT 

A.  C.  McCLURG  &  CO. 
1911 


Published,  October,  1911 


Entered  at  Stationers'  Hall,  London,  England 


PRESS    OF    THE    VAIL    COMPANY 
COSHOCTON,    U.    S.    A. 


TO 
MY  FRIEND 

JAMES   COLLIER 


2125615 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAG* 

I     THE   CASTAWAYS ,  "    .        1 

II     Two  —  AND  ONE IS 

III     LORD  AND  MAN 24 

IV  THE  EARL  AND  THE  OTHERS     ....     41 

V     A  REFRACTORY  HERO 52 

VI     THREE  OF  A  KIND .     59 

VII     THE  HERO  EXPLAINS 73 

VIII     FLINT  AND  STEEL 83 

IX     PLAYS  FOR  POSITION 97 

X     THE  SHADOW  OF  DOUBT 109 

XI     REBELLION 119 

XII  THE  DEEPENING  OF  DOUBT     ....    128 

XIII  PLANS  AND  OTHER  PLANS 141 

XIV  BETWEEN  FRIENDS 154 

XV     BY-PLAY 165 

XVI     THE   AMARYLLIS 174 

XVII     ENTRAPPED 182 

XVIII     HOLY  COMMUNION 193 

XIX     THE  FALL  OF  MAN 204 

XX     DE  PROFUNDIS 214 

XXI     THE    BRIDGE .      .   223 

XXII     CONDEMNED 238 

XXIII     A  REPRIEVE  247 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

XXIV     THE  WAY  OF  A  WOMAN 260 

XXV     HEAVY  ODDS 272 

XXVI     TURNING  THE  ODD  TRICK 284 

XXVII     A  PACKING  CASE 295 

XXVIII     THE  SHORTEST  WAY 303 

XXIX     LIGHT  AND  DARKNESS 310 

XXX     THE  END  OF  DOUBT 318 

XXXI     A  BRIDGE  GAME 330 

XXXII  LAFFIE  PLAYS — BLAKE  TRUMPS  .      .      .  338 

XXXIII     ABOVE  THE  ABYSS 350 

XXXIV  "  THE  GUILTY  FLEE  "......  357 

XXXV     THE  FUTURE  COUNTESS 365 

XXXVI  THE  OUTCOME    .                                         .  373 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

PACK 

Lord  James  dropped  without  a  groan. 
"  You  coward !  —  you  murderer !  " 
she  gasped Frontispiece 

"  Shame !  "  she  flung  at  him.  "  You,  his  friend, 
and  would  take  her  from  him!"  .  .  .  .110 

He  went  on  in  a  dreary  monotone,  "  No,  I'm  done 
for  this  trip  —  down  for  the  count.  I'm  all  in  "  216 

His  jaw  closed  fast, —  and  in  the  same  instant  his 
outstretched  hand  smashed  down  upon  the  wine 
glass 280 


OUT   OF   THE    PRIMITIVE 

CHAPTER  I 

THE    CASTAWAYS 

THE  second  night  north  of  the  Zambezi,  as  well 
as  the  first,  the  little  tramp  rescue  steamer 
had  run  out  many  miles  into  the  offing  and 
laid-to  during  the  hours  of  darkness.  The  vicinity 
of  the  coral  reefs  that  fringe  the  southeast  coast  of 
Africa  is  decidedly  undesirable  on  moonless  nights. 

When  the  Right  Honorable  the  Earl  of  Avondale 
came  out  of  his  close,  hot  stateroom  into  the  refresh- 
ing coolness  that  preceded  the  dawn,  the  position  of 
the  Southern  Cross,  scintillating  in  the  blue-black  sky 
to  port,  told  him  that  the  steamer  was  headed  in  for 
the  coast.  The  black  surface  of  the  quiet  sea  crinkled 
with  lines  of  phosphorescent  light  under  the  ruffling 
of  the  faint  breeze,  which  crept  offshore  heavy  with 
the  stench  of  rotting  vegetation.  It  was  evident  that 
the  ship  was  already  close  in  again  to  the  Mozambique 
swamps. 

Lord  James  sniffed  the  rank  odor,  and  hastened  to 
make  his  way  forward  to  the  bridge.  As  he  neared 
the  foot  of  the  ladder,  his  resilient  step  and  the  snowy 

1 


2  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

whiteness  of  his  linen  suit  attracted  the  attention  of 
the  watcher  above  on  the  bridge. 

"  Good-morning,  m'  lord,"  the  officer  called  down  in 
a  bluff  but  respectful  tone.  "You  're  on  deck  early." 

"Hullo,  Meggs!  That  you?"  replied  his  lordship, 
mounting  the  steps  with  youthful  agility.  "  It  seems 
you  're  still  earlier." 

"  Knowing  your  lordship's  anxiety,  I  decided  to  run 
in,  so  that  -we  could  renew  the  search  with  the  first 
glimmer  of  daylight^"  explained  the  skipper.  "  We  're 
now  barely  under  headway.  According  to  the  smell, 
we  're  as  near  those  reefs  as  I  care  to  venture  in  the 
dark." 

"  Right-o !  We  '11  lose  no  time,"  approved  the 
young  earl.  "  D'  you  still  think  to-day  is  apt  to  tell 
the  tale,  one  way  or  the  other  ?  " 

"  Aye,  your  lordship.  I  may  be  mistaken ;  but,  as 
I  told  you,  reckoning  together  all  the  probabilities, 
we  should  to-day  cover  the  spot  where  the  Impala 
must  have  been  driven  on  the  coral  —  that  is,  unless 
she  foundered  in  deep  water." 

"  But,  man,  you  said  that  was  not  probable." 

"  A  new  boat  should  be  able  to  stand  the  racking 
of  half  a  dozen  cyclones,  m'  lord,  without  straining  a 
bottom  plate.  No ;  it 's  far  more  probable  she  shook 
off  her  screw,  or  something  went  wrong  with  the  steer- 
ing gear  or  in  the  engine  room.  I  've  recharted  her 
probable  course  and  that  of  the  cyclone.  It  was  as 
well  for  us  to  begin  our  search  at  the  Zambezi,  as  I 
told  your  lordship.  But  if  to-day  we  fail  to  find  where 
she  piled  her  bones  on  the  coral,  it 's  odds  we  '11  not 


THE     CASTAWAYS  3 

to-morrow.  On  beyond,  at  Port  Mozambique,  we  got 
only  the  north  rim  of  the  storm.  I  put  in  there  for 
shelter  when  the  barometer  dropped." 

"  That  was  on  your  run  south.  Glad  I  had  the 
luck  to  chance  on  a  man  who  knows  the  coast  as  you 
do,"  remarked  Lord  James.  "  Look  at  those  steamers 
Mr.  Leslie  chartered  by  cable  —  a  good  week  the  start 
of  us,  and  still  beating  the  coverts  down  there  along 
Sof ala !  Wasting  time !  If  only  I  'd  not  gone  off  on 
that  shunt  to  India  —  And  they  six  weeks  in  these 
damnable  swamps  —  if  they  won  ashore  at  all !  You 
still  believe  they  had  a  chance  of  that?  " 

"  Aye.  As  I  explained  to  your  lordship,  if  the 
Impala  had  n't  lost  all  her  boats  before  she  struck, 
there 's  a  fair  probability  that  the  water  inside  the 
reefs  — " 

"  Yes,  yes,  to  be  sure !  If  there  was  the  slightest 
chance  for  any  one  aboard  —  Lady  Bayrose,  Miss 
Leslie  and  their  maids,  the  only  women  passengers,  and 
a  British  ship!  Everything  must  have  been  done  to 
save  them.  While  Tom  —  he  'd  be  sure  to  make  the 
shore,  if  that  was  within  the  bounds  of  possibility.  Yet 
even  if  they  were  cast  up  alive  —  six  weeks  on  the  vilest 
stretch  of  coast  between  Zanzibar  and  the  Zambezi! 
They  may  be  dying  of  the  fever  now  —  this  very  hour ! 
Deuce  take  it,  man!  d'  you  wonder  I'm  impatient?" 

"  Aye,  m'  lord !  But  here 's  the  dawn,  and  Mc- 
Phee  is  keeping  up  a  full  head  of  steam.  We  '11  soon 
be  doing  seven  knots." 

As  he  spoke,  the  skipper  turned  to  step  into  the 
pilot  house.  Lord  James  faced  about  to  the  eastern 


4  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

sky,  where  the  gray  dawn  was  beginning  to  lessen  the 
star-gemmed  blackness  above  the  watery  horizon. 
Swiftly  the  faint  glow  brightened  and  became  tinged 
with  pink.  The  day  was  approaching  with  the  sudden- 
ness of  the  tropical  sunrise.  In  quick  succession,  the 
pink  shaded  to  rose,  the  rose  to  crimson  and  scarlet 
splendor ;  and  then  the  sun  came  leaping  above  the  hori- 
zon, to  flood  sea  and  sky  with  its  dazzling  effulgence. 

Captain  Meggs  had  entered  the  pilot  house  in  the 
blackness  of  night.  He  came  out  in  the  full  glare  of 
day.  Lord  James  had  turned  his  back  to  the  sun. 
He  was  staring  at  the  bank  of  white  mist  that,  less  than 
two  miles  to  westward,  shrouded  the  swampy  coast. 
Meggs  had  brought  out  two  pairs  of  binoculars,  one 
of  which  he  handed  to  his  charterer. 

"  Your  lordship  sees,"  he  remarked.  "  We  're  none 
too  far  out  from  the  reefs." 

"  Beastly  mist !  "  complained  Lord  James,  his  hand- 
some high-bred  face  creased  with  impatience  and  anx- 
iety. "  D'  you  fancy  we  're  anywhere  near  the  islet 
from  which  we  put  off  last  evening?  " 

"  I  've  tried  to  hold  our  position,  m'  lord.  But  these 
Mozambique  Channel  currents  are  so  strong,  and  shift 
so  with  the  tides,  we  may  have  been  either  set  back  or 
ahead." 

Already  the  bank  of  morning  mist  was  beginning  to 
break  up  and  melt  away  under  the  fervent  rays  of  the 
sun.  The  young  earl  raised  his  glasses  and  gazed 
southwards  along  the  face  of  the  dissolving  curtain. 
Through  and  between  the  ghostly  wreaths  and  wisps  of 
vapor  he  could  see  the  winged  habitants  of  the  swamps 


THE     CASTAWAYS  5 

—  flamingoes,  cranes,  pelicans,  ibises,  storks,  geese,  all 
the  countless  tropical  waterfowl  —  swimming  and  wad- 
ing about  the  reedy  lagoons  or  circling  up  to  fly  to  other 
feeding    grounds.     Opposite    the    steamer    the    glasses 
showed  with  startling  distinctness  a  number  of  hideous 
crocodiles  crawling  out  on  a  slimy  mudbank  to  bask 
in  the  sunshine.     But  nowhere  could  the  searcher  dis- 
cern a  trace  of  man  or  of  man's  habitation. 

"  Gad !  not  a  sign !     Rotten  luck !  "  he  muttered. 

He  turned  and  swept  the  four-mile  curve  of  coast 
around  to  the  north-northeast.  Suddenly  he  stiffened 
and  held  the  glasses  fixed. 

"  Look !  "  he  cried.     "  Off  there  to  the  northwards 

—  cliffs ! " 

"Cliffs?     Aye,  a  headland,"  confirmed  the  skipper. 

"  Put  about  for  it  immediately,"  directed  Lord 
James.  "  If  they  were  cast  up  here,  they  'd  not  have 
lingered  in  these  vile  bogs  —  would  have  made  for  the 
high  ground." 

Meggs  nodded,  and  called  the  order  to  the  steers- 
man. The  ship's  bows  swung  around,  and  the  little 
steamer  was  soon  scuttling  upcoast  towards  the  head- 
land, along  the  outer  line  of  reefs,  at  a  speed  of  seven 
knots. 

From  the  first,  Lord  James  held  his  glasses  fixed  on 
the  barren  guano-whitened  ledges  of  the  headland. 
But  though  he  could  discern  with  quickly  increasing 
distinctness  the  seabirds  that  soared  about  the  cliff  crest 
and  nested  in  its  crevices,  he  perceived  no  sign  of  any 
signal  such  as  castaways  might  be  expected  to  place 
on  so  prominent  a  height. 


6  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

When,  after  a  full  half-hour's  run,  the  steamer 
skirted  along  the  edge  of  the  reefs,  close  in  under  the 
seaward  face  of  the  headland,  the  searcher  at  last 
lowered  his  binoculars,  bitterly  disappointed. 

"  Not  a  trace  —  not  a  trace !  "  he  complained.  "  If 
they  've  been  here,  they  've  either  gone  inland  or  — 
we  're  too  late !  Six  weeks  —  starvation  —  fever !  " 

Meggs  shook  his  head  reassuringly.  "  The  top  of 
the  headland  may  be  inaccessible,  m'  lord.  We  may 
find  that  they—  Heh!  what's  that?" 

He  leaned  forward  to  peer  through  his  glasses  at 
a  second  headland  that  was  swinging  into  view  around 
the  corner  of  the  cliffs. 

"  Smoke!  "  he  cried.     *'  Smoke!  • — ;  and  a  flag!  " 

"  Gad !  "  murmured  Lord  James,  hastily  bringing  his 
own  glasses  to  bear. 

The  second  headland  was  about  five  miles  away. 
The  thin  column  of  smoke  that  was  ascending  from  its 
crest  near  the  outer  end,  could  plainly  be  seen  with  the 
naked  eye.  But  a  sunlit  cloud  beyond  necessitated  the 
full  magnifying  power  of  the  binoculars  to  disclose 
the  white  signal  flag  that  flapped  lazily  on  a  slender 
staff  near  the  beacon. 

Lord  James  drew  in  a  deep  breath,  and  his  gray  eyes 
glowed  with  hope.  Here  was  evidence  that  not  all 
aboard  the  wrecked  or  foundered  Impala  had  been 
lost. 

"  Meggs,"  he  cried,  "  you  're  the  one  and  only 
skipper !  It  must  be  their  signal  —  it  is  their  signal ! 
But  which  of  them  ?  —  who  went  under  and  who  es- 
caped !  —  Miss  Genevieve  ?  Tom  ?  " 


THE     CASTAWAYS  7 

"This  Mr.  Blake?"  ventured  Meggs.  "I  take  it, 
he  's  some  relation  to  your  lordship." 

"  No ;  chum  —  American  engineer.  Gad !  if  he  went 
down !  But  it 's  impossible  —  Most  resourceful  man 
I  ever  knew.  He  must  have  won  ashore  with  the  others. 
And  the  women  —  a  British  captain !  It  must  be  we  '11 
find  crew  and  all  safe !  " 

"  Not  on  this  coast,"  replied  Meggs.  "  They  'd 
have  lost  most  their  boats  before  the  Impala  struck." 

"  In  that  event  —  Deuce  take  it !  will  we  never  get 
there?  If  I  had  my  motor-boat  now!  By  Jove,  this 
stretch  here  between  the  headlands  is  not  swamp.  It 's 
dry  plain  —  and  black.  Been  burnt  over.  There  's 
a  place  —  tree-trunks  still  smouldering.  The  grass 
has  been  fired  within  the  last  day  or  two." 

"  No  one  in  sight  as  yet,  on  the  cliffs,"  said  the 
skipper,  who  had  continued  to  scrutinize  the  northern 
headland.  "  No  watch  above ;  no  sign  of  any  one  or 
any  camp  below.  Must  all  be  around  on  the  far  side. 
We  '11  clear  the  point,  and  run  in  through  the  first 
break  in  the  reefs." 

"  If  they  fail  to  show  up  on  this  side,"  qualified 
Lord  James,  slowly  sweeping  the  cliffs  from  foot  to 
crest  and  inland  along  the  dry  fire-blackened  plain. 

About  half  a  mile  from  the  beach  the  wall  of  rock 
was  cleft  by  a  wooded  ravine  that  ran  up  through  the 
cliff  ridge.  At  its  foot  was  a  grove  of  trees  whose 
bright  green  foliage  seemed  to  indicate  an  abundance 
of  water.  Above,  a  gigantic  baobab  tree  towered  out 
of  the  cleft  and  upreared  its  enormous  cabbage-shaped 
crown  high  over  the  crest  of  the  ridge. 


8  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

In  the  midst  of  the  general  barrenness  and  aridity, 
the  verdant  oasis  of  the  ravine  appeared  to  be  the 
most  certain  place  to  look  for  the  castaways.  Lord 
James  fancied  that  he  could  discern  a  slight  haze  of 
smoke  rising  out  of  the  cleft  beneath  the  baobab.  But 
if  there  was  a  camp  in  the  cleft  bottom,  it  was  hidden 
from  view  by  the  trees  and  cliff  walls.  The  only  cer- 
tain sign  of  man  within  sight  was  the  signal  flag  and 
the  smoke  of  the  smouldering  fire  in  the  midst  of  the 
seabird  colony  near  the  outer  end  of  the  cliff  crest. 

The  steamer  was  gliding  along,  with  slackened  head- 
way, close  in  under  the  headland,  when  a  breath  of  air 
opened  out  the  folds  of  the  tattered  white  flag.  Meggs 
had  been  watching  it  through  his  binoculars.  He  low- 
ered the  glasses,  and  remarked  knowingly :  "  Thought 
so.  That 's  no  ship's  canvas.  It 's  linen  or  duck  —  A 
woman's  skirt  ripped  open." 

"  What !  Then  at  least  one  of  the  women  got 
ashore !  " 

"  Aye.  But  d'  you  make  out  how  that  cloth  is  lashed 
to  the  bamboo?  It  was  knotted  on  by  a  landsman. 
We  '11  find  neither  officers  nor  crew  among  the  survivors." 

The  steamer  was  now  opposite  the  face  of  the  head- 
land. Meggs  sprang  into  the  pilot  house.  Within  the 
next  few  moments  the  speed  of  the  vessel  fell  off  to  less 
than  a  knot.  Slowly  the  old  steamer  swung  her  bows 
around  towards  the  shore  and  began  feeling  her  way  into 
a  narrow  gap  through  the  half  hidden  barrier  of  the 
reefs,  which  here  were  merged  into  a  single  line. 

For  the  time  being  all  the  attention  of  Meggs  was 
concentrated  upon  the  safe  conning  of  his  ship  through 


THE     CASTAWAYS  9 

the  dangerous  passage.  It  was  otherwise  with  Lord 
James.  The  last  two  shiplengths  before  the  turn  had 
opened  up  the  view  around  the  north  corner  of  the  head- 
land. From  the  flank  of  the  cliff  ridge  a  wedge  of 
brush-dotted  plain  extended  a  quarter-mile  or  so  to  a 
dense  high  jungle  bordering  a  small  river.  The  first 
glance  had  shown  his  lordship  that  it  was  of  no  use  to 
look  beyond  the  river.  The  coast  trended  away  north- 
wards in  another  vast  stretch  of  fetid  swamps  and  slimy 
lagoons. 

With  almost  feverish  eagerness,  he  turned  to  scan  the 
little  plain.  First  to  catch  his  eye  were  a  dozen  or 
more  graceful  animals  dashing  away  from  the  shore  in 
panic-stricken  flight.  He  turned  his  glasses  upon  them 
and  saw  that  they  were  antelope.  This  was  not  encour- 
aging. That  the  timid  animals  had  been  feeding  in  the 
vicinity  of  a  human  habitation  a  full  hour  after  dawn 
was  not  probable.  Nor  did  a  careful  search  of  the  plain 
through  the  glasses  disclose  any  sign  of  a  hut  or  tent  or 
the  smoke  of  a  camp-fire. 

An  order  from  Meggs  preparatory  for  letting  go 
anchor  roused  Lord  James  from  his  momentary  pause. 
He  faced  the  skipper,  who  was  leaning  from  a  window 
of  the  pilot  house. 

"  Sound  your  siren,  man !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  There  Js 
no  camp  in  sight.  Yet  they  must  be  within  hearing." 

Meggs  nodded,  called  an  order  for  the  lowering  of  a 
boat,  and  drew  back  into  the  pilot  house.  As  he  reap- 
peared in  the  doorway,  to  step  out  on  the  bridge,  the 
tramp's  siren  shrilled  a  blast  loud  enough  to  carry  for 
miles.  It  echoed  and  re-echoed  along  the  cliff  walls,  and 


10  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

was  flung  back  upon  the  little  steamer  in  a  deafening 
blare. 

Lord  James  turned  to  sweep  the  border  of  the  river 
jungle  with  his  glasses.  A  herd  of  fat  ungainly  hippo- 
potami, on  the  bar  out  beyond  the  mangroves  of  the 
river  mouth,  fixed  his  gaze.  But  a  moment  afterwards 
one  of  the  sailors  in  the  bows  pointed  upwards  and 
yelled  excitedly :  "  Hi !  hi !  —  there  aloft !  Lookut 
th'  bloomin'  mad  'un !  " 

At  last  —  one  of  the  castaways  !  High  above,  on  the 
very  brink  of  the  precipice,  near  the  outer  end  of  the 
headland,  a  man  stood  waving  down  to  the  ship  in  wild 
excitement. 

Lord  James  hastily  f  ocussed  his  glasses  upon  the  beck- 
oner.  Seen  through  their  powerful  lenses,  he  seemed 
to  leap  to  within  a  few  feet  —  so  near  that  Lord  James 
could  see  the  heaving  of  his  broad  chest  under  the  tat- 
tered flannel  shirt  as  he  flung  his  arms  about  his  head 
and  bellowed  down  at  the  steamer  in  half  frantic  joy. 

The  looker  wasted  no  second  glance  on  the  rude  trou- 
sers of  spotted  hyena  skin  or  the  big  lean  body  of  the 
castaway.  Neither  the  wild  whirling  of  the  sun-black- 
ened arms  nor  the  bristly  stubble  of  a  six  weeks'  growth 
of  beard  could  prevent  him  from  instantly  recognizing 
the  face  of  his  friend. 

"Tom!  — Tom!"  he  hailed.  "Hullo!  hullo,  old 
man !  Come  down !  " 

Even  as  he  cried  out  he  realized  that  he  could  neither 
be  heard  nor  recognized  at  so  great  a  distance.  Though 
the  binoculars  enabled  him  to  see  his  friend  with  such 
wonderful  distinctness,  the  deep  shouts  that  the  other 


THE     CASTAWAYS  11 

was  uttering  were  hardly  audible  above  the  clatter  aboard 
the  steamer.  But  now  the  ship's  siren  began  to  answer 
the  hails  of  the  castaway  with  a  succession  of  joyous 
shrieks. 

In  the  same  moment  Lord  James  perceived  that  a 
second  castaway  —  a  woman  —  was  running  forward 
along  the  crest  of  the  headland.  Fearlessly  she  came 
darting  down  the  broken  ledges,  to  stand  on  the  cliff 
edge  close  beside  the  man.  Lord  James  stared  wonder- 
ingly  at  her  dainty  girlish  form,  clad  in  a  barbaric  cos- 
tume of  leopard  skin.  Her  bare  arms,  slender  from  pri- 
vation and  burned  brown  by  the  sun,  were  upraised  in 
graceful  greeting  above  the  sensitive  high-bred  face  and 
its  crown  of  soft  brown  hair. 

"  Genevieve !  "  murmured  the  earl.  "  What  luck ! 
Gad!  what  luck!  Even  if  Hawkins  went  to  the  bot- 
tom and  took  the  jewels  with  him!  She  's  safe  —  both 
of  'em  safe!  Hey!  what's  that?  Signalling  to- 
wards the  far  side  —  There  he  bolts,  and  she  after  him ! 
Could  n't  run  that  way  if  they  had  the  fever !  " 

He  whirled  about  and  sprang  to  descend  the  ladder, 
but  paused  to  direct  the  skipper.  "  I  '11  command  the 
boat.  Men  are  not  to  land.  D' you  take  me?  There's 
at  least  one  of  the  ladies  here.  Have  a  sling  ready,  and 
tell  the  stewardess  her  services  will  soon  be  required." 

Before  Meggs  could  reply,  he  was  down  the  ladder 
and  darting  across  to  the  side.  But  there  he  turned 
and  ran  aft  to  the  cabin.  The  stewardess,  a  buxom 
Englishwoman,  stood  at  the  head  of  the  companionway, 
gazing  towards  the  cliff  top.  At  his  order,  she  followed 
him  below.  After  several  minutes  he  reappeared  with 


12  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

a  lady's  dust-coat  folded  over  his  arm.  The  boat  was 
already  lowered  and  manned.  He  swung  himself  out- 
board and  went  down  the  tackle  hand  under  hand. 

As  he  dropped  lightly  into  the  sternsheets  beside  the 
cockswain  he  signed  the  men  to  thrust  off.  The  boat 
shot  out  across  the  still  water,  and  headed  shorewards 
on  a  slant  for  the  south  corner  of  the  headland.  Urged 
on  by  their  impatient  passenger,  the  rowers  bent  to  their 
oars  with  a  will,  despite  the  broiling  heat  of  the  sun  in 
the  dead  calm  air  under  the  lee  of  the  cliffs. 

They  were  well  in  to  the  shore  before  the  cockswain 
discovered  a  submerged  ledge  that  ran  out  athwart  their 
course  almost  to  the  coral  reefs.  This  compelled  them 
to  put  about  and  follow  the  ledge  until  they  could  round 
its  outer  end.  As  the  boat  at  last  cleared  the  obstruc- 
tion and  headed  in  again  for  the  shore,  the  south  flank 
of  the  cliffs  came  into  view. 

A  short  distance  inland,  the  two  castaways  that  had 
appeared  on  the  cliff  top  were  running  towards  the 
beach,  the  girl  clinging  to  the  hand  of  the  man. 

"  Give  way !  give  way,  men ! "  urged  Lord  James. 
"  At  least  let 's  not  keep  them  waiting !  " 


CHAPTER  II 

TWO AND    ONE 

SPURRED  to  their  utmost,  the  oarsmen  drove 
the  boat  shorewards  so  swiftly  that  it  was  less 
than  thirty  yards  out  when  the  castaways  came 
flying  out  the  rocky  slope  of  the  cliff  foot  and  scrambled 
down  to  the  water's  edge. 

Lord  James  sprang  up  and  waved  his  yachting  cap. 

"  Miss  Leslie !  —  Tom,  old  man !  "  he  joyously  hailed 
them.  "  You  're  safe !  —  both  safe !  " 

"  Good  Lord !  That  you,  Jimmy?  "  shouted  back  the 
man.  "  Well,  of  all  the  —  Hey !  down  brakes  1  'Ware 
rocks ! " 

At  the  warning,  the  boat's  crew  backed  water  and 
came  on  inshore  with  more  caution.  Without  stopping 
to  ask  her  permission,  the  man  caught  up  the  panting, 
excited  girl  in  his  arms,  and  waded  out  to  meet  the  boat. 

"  That 's  near  enough.     Swing  round,"  he  ordered. 

The  boat  came  about  and  backed  in  a  length,  to 
where  he  stood  thigh-deep  in  the  still  water,  with  the 
blushing  girl  upraised  on  his  broad  shoulder.  Lord 
James  again  lifted  his  cap.  His  bow  could  not  have 
been  more  formal  and  respectful  had  the  meeting  oc- 
curred in  the  queen's  drawing-room. 

"  Miss  Leslie !  This  is  a  very  great  pleasure,  'pon 

13 


14  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

my  word !  But  you  've  overheated  yourself.  You 
should  not  have  run,"  he  remonstrated.  As  Blake  lifted 
her  in  over  the  stern,  he  deftly  unfolded  the  silk  dust- 
coat  and  held  it  open  for  her.  "  Permit  me  —  No 
need  of  such  haste,  y'  know.  I  assure  you,  we  're  not 
so  strict  as  to  our  hour  of  sailing." 

"I  —  I  —     Of  course  we  — "  stammered  the  girl. 

"  To  be  sure !  Ah,  no  hat !  I  should  have  foreseen. 
Very  stupid  of  me  not  to  've  brought  a  hat  or  parasol. 
But  I  dare  say  you  '11  make  out  till  we  get  back  aboard 
ship." 

His  conventional  manner  and  quiet  conversational 
tone  alike  tended  to  ease  her  of  her  embarrassment.  By 
the  time  she  had  slipped  on  the  coat  and  seated  herself, 
the  crimson  blushes  that  had  flooded  her  tanned  cheeks 
were  fast  subsiding,  and  she  was  able  to  respond  with  a 
fair  degree  of  composure:  "That  was  extremely 
thoughtful  of  you,  Lord  Avondale !  " 

"  Not  at  all,  not  at  all,"  he  disclaimed.  "  Cocks'n, 
if  you  '11  be  so  kind  as  to  go  forward,  I  '11  take  the 
tiller.  Tom,  old  man !  don't  stand  there  all  day.  You  '11 
get  your  feet  damp.  Climb  in !  " 

"  No ;  pull  out,"  replied  Blake,  his  eyes  hardening 
with  sudden  resolve.  "  I  forgot  something.  Got  to  go 
back  to  the  cleft.  You  take  Jen  —  Miss  Leslie  aboard 
at  once." 

"  Oh,  no,  Tom! "  hastily  protested  the  girl.  "  We  '11 
wait  here  for  you." 

"  Here?  "  he  demanded.     "  And  without  your  hat?  " 

Miss  Leslie  put  her  scarred  and  begrimed  little  hands 
to  her  dishevelled  hair. 


TWO  — AND     ONE  15 

Blake  went  on  in  an  authoritative  tone :  "  It  won't 
do  for  you  to  get  a  sunstroke  now  —  after  all  these 
weeks.  Jimmy,  take  her  straight  aboard.  I  've  got  to 
go  back,  I  tell  you.  We  did  n't  stop  for  anything. 
There  's  a  jarful  of  mud  and  so  forth  that  we  sure  can't 
leave  to  the  hyenas."  He  met  the  girl's  appealing 
glance  with  firm  decision.  *'  You  must  get  aboard,  out 
of  this  sun,  fast  as  they  can  take  you." 

"  Yes,  of  course,  if  you  think  it  best  —  Tom,"  she 
acquiesced. 

Her  ready  docility  would  of  itself  have  been  sufficient 
to  surprise  Lord  James.  But,  in  addition,  there  was  a 
soft  note  in  her  voice  and  a  glow  in  her  beautiful  hazel 
eyes  that  caused  him  to  glance  quickly  from  her  to  his 
friend.  Blake  was  already  turning  about  to  wade 
ashore.  From  what  little  could  be  seen  of  his  bristly 
face,  its  expression  was  stern,  almost  morose.  The  pow- 
erful jaw  was  clenched. 

Though  puzzled  and  a  trifle  discomposed,  Lord  James 
quietly  seated  himself  beside  the  girl,  and  signing  the 
men  to  give  way,  took  the  tiller. 

"  My  dear  Miss  Leslie,"  he  murmured,  "  if  you  but 
knew  my  delight  over  having  found  both  you  and  Tom 
safe  and  well !  " 

"Then  you  really  know  him?"  she  replied.  "Yes, 
to  be  sure ;  he  called  you  by  your  first  name.  Wait !  I 
remember  now.  One  day  soon  after  we  were  cast  ashore 
—  the  second  day,  when  we  were  thinking  how  to  get 
fire,  to  drive  away  the  leopard  — " 

"Leopard?  I  say!  So  that's  where  you  got  this 
odd  gown?  " 


16  OUT    OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  No  —  the  mother  leopard  and  the  cubs.  I  was  go- 
ing to  say,  Tom  remarked  that  James  Scarbridge  had 
been  his  chum." 

"  Had  been?     He  meant  is  I  " 

"  Then  it 's  true !  Oh,  is  n't  it  strange  and  —  and 
splendid?  You  know,  I  did  not  connect  the  remark  with 
you,  Lord  James.  He  had  told  me  to  try  to  think  how 
we  were  to  find  food  for  the  next  meal.  His  reference  to 
you  was  made  quite  casually  in  his  talk  with  Winthrope." 

"  Winthrope !  "  exclaimed  Lord  James.  "  Then  he, 
too,  reached  shore  ?  Yet  if  so  — " 

The  girl  put  her  hand  before  her  eyes,  as  if  to  shut 
out  some  terrible  sight.  Her  voice  sank  to  a  whisper: 
"  He  —  he  was  killed  in  the  second  cyclone  —  a  few  days 
ago." 

"  Ah !  "  muttered  the  young  earl.  After  a  pause,  he 
asked  in  a  tone  of  profound  sympathy,  "  And  the  others 
—  Lady  Bayrose?" 

"  Don't  ask !  don't  ask ! "  she  cried,  shuddering  and 
trembling. 

But  quickly  she  regained  her  composure  and  looked 
up  at  him  with  a  calm  unwavering  gaze  that  told  him 
how  much  she  had  undergone  and  the  strength  of 
character  she  had  gained  during  the  fearful  weeks  that 
she  had  been  marooned  on  this  savage  and  desolate 
coast. 

"  How  foolish  of  me  to  give  way ! "  she  reproached 
herself.  "  It  is  what  you  might  have  expected  of  me 
before  —  before  I  had  been  through  all  this,  with  his 
example  to  uplift  me  out  of  my  helplessness  and  ineffi- 
ciency. Believe  me,  Lord  Avondale,  I  am  a  very  differ- 


TWO  — AND     ONE  17 

ent  young  woman  from  the  shallow,  frivolous  girl  you 
knew  during  those  days  on  the  Mediterranean." 

"  Shallow !  frivolous  !  "  he  protested.  "  Anything  but 
that,  Miss  Genevieve !  You  must  have  known  how  vastly 
different  were  my  —  er  —  impressions.  If  Lady  Bay- 
rose  had  n't  so  suddenly  shunted  you  off  at  Aden  to  the 
Cape  boat —  Took  me  quite  by  surprise,  I  assure 
you.  Had  you  kept  on  to  India,  I  had  hoped  to  — 
er— " 

She  gave  him  a  glance  that  checked  his  fast-mount- 
ing ardor. 

"I  —  I  beg  pardon  f "  he  apologized.  "  This  of 
course  is  hardly  the  time  —  About  the  others,  if  I  may 
ask  —  that  is,  if  it 's  not  too  painful  for  you.  I  infer 
that  Lady  Bayrose  —  that  she  did  not  —  reach  the 
shore." 

The  girl's  thorn-scarred,  sun-blistered  hands  clasped 
together  almost  convulsively.  But  she  met  his  look  of 
concern  with  unflinching  braveness. 

"  Poor  dear  Lady  Bayrose !  "  she  murmured.  "  They 
had  put  her  and  the  maids  into  one  of  the  boats  — 
there  at  the  first,  when  the  ship  crashed  on  the  reef. 
They  ran  back  to  fetch  me,  but  before  they  could  rush 
me  across,  a  wave  more  terrible  than  all  the  others  swept 
the  ship.  It  tore  loose  the  boat  and  whirled  them  away, 
over  and  over !  " 

"  Gad !  "  he  exclaimed. 

"  It  also  carried  away  the  captain  and  most  of  the 
crew.  Between  the  breakers,  Winthrope  and  Tom  and  I 
were  flung  into  the  one  remaining  boat.  Winthrope  cut 
the  rope  before  the  sailors  could  follow,  and  then  — 


18  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

then  the  steamer  slipped  back  off  the  reef  and  went 
down." 

"  I  say !  Only  the  three  of  you  left !  The  boat 
brought  you  safe  ashore  ?  " 

"  No,  we  were  overturned  in  the  breakers,  but  were 
washed  up  —  flung  up  —  how,  I  cannot  tell.  The  wind 
was  frightful.  It  must  have  blown  us  out  of  the  surf 
and  along  with  the  water  that  was  being  driven  up  and 
over  into  the  lagoon.  The  first  I  knew,  I  was  behind  a 
little  knoll  with  Winthrope.  Tom  was  near  —  in  a  pool. 
He  —  he  crawled  out.  It  was  nearly  dark.  We  were 
all  so  beaten  and  exhausted  that  we  slept  until  morning. 
When  we  awoke,  there  was  no  sign  of  —  of  any  one  else, 
or  of  the  boat  —  nothing;  only  the  top  of  the  highest 
mast  sticking  up  above  the  water,  out  beside  the  reef. 
Tom  swam  out  to  it;  but  he  couldn't  get  anything  — 
even  he  could  n't." 

"  Swam  out,  you  say?  These  waters  swarm  with 
sharks.  They  're  keen  to  nip  a  swimmer !  " 

The  girl's  eyes  flashed.  "  Do  you  believe  he  'd  fear 
them?  —  that  he  'd  fear  anything?  " 

"  Not  he !  I  fancy  I  ought  to  know,  if  any  one. 
Knocked  about  with  him,  half  'round  the  world.  I  dare 
say  he  's  told  you." 

"  Would  it  be  like  him  to  claim  the  credit  of  your 
friendship  ?  No !  Before,  on  the  steamer,  we  had  mis- 
taken him  to  be  —  to  be  what  he  appears  to  strangers  — 
rough,  almost  uncouth.  Yet  even  that  frightful  morn- 
ing —  it  was  among  the  swamps,  ten  miles  or  more  up 
the  coast.  He  carried  us  safe  out  of  them,  me  nearly  all 


TWO  — AND     ONE  19 

the  way  —  out  of  the  bog  and  water,  safe  to  the  palms ; 
and  he  as  much  tortured  with  thirst  as  were  we ! " 

"  Fancy  !     No  j  oke  about  that  —  thirst !  " 

"  Yet  it  was  only  the  beginning  of  what  he  did  for  us. 
Starvation  and  wild  beasts  and  snakes  and  the  fever  — 
he  saved  us  from  all.     Yet  he  had  nothing  to  begin  with 
—  no  tools  or  weapons,  only  his  burning  glass.     Can 
you  wonder  that  I  —  that  I  — " 

She  stopped  and  looked  down,  the  color  mounting 
swiftly  under  the  dark  coat  of  tan  that  covered  the  ex- 
quisite complexion  he  remembered  so  pleasantly. 

"  My  word ! "  he  remonstrated,  amazed  and  dis- 
quieted. "  Surely  not  that !  It 's  —  it 's  impossible ! 
It  can't  be  possible !  " 

"  Do  you  think  so  ?  "  she  whispered.  "  If  you  but 
knew  the  half  —  the  tenth  —  of  what  he  has  done !  " 

The  rusty  side  of  the  tramp  loomed  up  above  them. 
The  boat  crew  flung  up  their  oars,  and  Lord  James 
steered  in  alongside,  under  the  sling  that  was  being 
lowered  for  the  rescued  lady.  She  pointed  up  at  it, 
and  met  the  reproachful,  half-dazed  glance  of  her  com- 
panion with  a  look  of  compassionate  regret  for  his 
disappointment.  Yet  she  made  no  effort  to  conceal 
the  love  for  his  friend  and  rival  that  shone  with  tender 
radiance  from  her  candid  eyes. 

"  You  should  know  him  —  his  true,  his  real  self !  " 
she  said.  "  Hasten  back.  Do  not  delay  to  come 
aboard  with  me.  Hasten  ashore  and  to  the  cleft.  See 
for  yourself." 

She   caught   the   descending   sling   with   a   dexterity 


20  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

that  astonished  him,  and  seated  herself  in  it  before  he 
could  rise  to  assist  her. 

"  Haul  away,"  she  called  in  a  clear  voice  that  held 
no  note  of  timidity.  Those  above  at  the  tackle  hastened 
to  obey.  As  she  was  swung  upwards,  she  looked  down 
at  the  earl  and  waved  him  to  put  off. 

"  Hasten  1 "  she  urged.  "  Do  not  wait.  I  am 
all  right  now.  Even  if  he  is  returning,  go  to  the  cleft 
and  see." 

He  shook  his  head,  and  waited  until  she  had  been 
hauled  up  the  ship's  side.  But  as  her  little  moccasined 
feet  cleared  the  bulwarks  and  Meggs  himself  leaned 
out  to  draw  her  inboard,  he  signed  the  oarsmen  to  thrust 
off  again. 

Knowing  the  course,  they  made  direct  for  the  end 
of  the  sunken  ledge.  Blake  had  not  returned,  nor  was 
he  anywhere  in  sight.  They  skirted  in  along  the  rocky 
slope  of  the  cliff  foot  to  where  it  curved  away  into  the 
sand  beach  of  the  plain.  Lord  James  sprang  ashore 
alone  and  hastened  inland  along  the  base  of  the  cliffs. 

A  brisk  walk  of  ten  minutes  over  the  sandy  plain 
brought  him  to  the  grove  at  the  foot  of  the  cleft. 
In  the  midst  of  the  trees  was  a  pool,  half  choked  with 
the  dried  mud  and  rubbish  of  a  recent  flood  from  the 
ravine.  The  wash  had  obliterated  all  tracks  below; 
but  there  were  traces  of  a  trail  leading  up  the  ravine 
over  a  four-foot  ledge.  He  took  the  rock  at  a  bound, 
and  hastened  on  upwards  between  the  lofty  walled  sides 
of  the  cleft. 

At  the  first  turn  he  was  brought  to  an  abrupt  halt. 
From  side  to  side,  between  two  out  jutting  corners  of 


TWO  — AND     ONE  21 

rock,  the  ravine  had  been  barricaded  with  a  twelve- 
foot  boma  of  thorn  scrub.  It  was  a  fence  high  enough 
and  strong  enough  to  stop  even  a  hungry  lion.  In 
the  centre  was  a  low  opening,  partly  masked  by  the 
dry  spiky  fronds  of  a  small  date  palm. 

"  Gad ! "  murmured  the  Englishman.  "  Some  of 
Tom's  engineering!  And  she  said  he  started  without 
weapons  or  tools  —  on  this  coast !  .  Yet  for 

him  to  have  won  her  —  No,  no,  it 's  impossible !  im- 
possible !  American  or  not,  she 's  a  lady  —  thor- 
oughbred !  He 's  a  true  stone,  but  in  the  rough  — 
uncut,  unpolished !  A  girl  of  her  breeding  —  He  's 
worth  it,  'pon  my  word,  he  is ;  though  I  never  would 
have  fancied  that  she,  of  all  girls  —  She  's  so  differ- 
ent. No !  it 's  impossible !  it  can't  be !  Must  be  pure 
fancy  on  her  part  —  gratitude.  It  can't  be  anything 
more ! " 

A  heavy  step  sounded  on  the  far  side  of  the  barrier, 
and  a  deep  voice  called  out  to  him :  "  Hello,  there !  That 
you,  Jimmy?  Thought  it  about  time  you  were  due. 
What  you  doing?  —  telling  yourself  how  to  climb  over? 
Abase  yeh  noble  knee  to  the  dust  and  crawl  through, 
me  hid." 

Without  pausing  to  reply,  Lord  James  stooped  and 
crept  through  the  narrow  passage  under  the  thorny 
wall.  As  he  straightened  up  on  the  inner  side,  Blake 
caught  and  gripped  his  hand  in  a  big  calloused  palm. 

"  Jimmy ! "  he  exclaimed,  his  pale  blue  eyes  glisten- 
ing with  the  soft  light  of  deep  friendship.  "  Jimmy 
boy !  to  think  you  beat  'em  to  it !  I  figured  ten  to  one 
odds  that  it  was  a  tramp  chartered  by  Papa  Leslie  — 


22  OUT    OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

And  then  to  see  you  pop  up  in  the  sternsheets,  spic 
and  span  as  a  laundry  ad!  When  you  sang  out  — 
Lord!" 

"  Ring  off,  bo !  Those  're  my  fingers  you  're  mash- 
ing! "  objected  the  victim. 

As  Blake  released  him,  he  stepped  aside  and  ran  his 
eye  up  and  down  the  sinewy  rag-and-skin-clad  form  of 
the  engineer.  He  nodded  approvingly. 

"  Lean,  hard  as  nails,  no  sign  of  fever  —  and  after 
six  weeks  on  this  beastly  coast !  How  'd  you  do  it,  old 
man  ?  You  're  fit  —  deuced  fit !  " 

"  Fit  to  give  pointers  to  the  Wild  Man  from  Bor- 
neo," chuckled  Blake.  He  drew  out  a  silver  cigarette 
case  and  snapped  open  the  lid.  "  See  those  little 
beauties?  —  No!  hands  off!  Good  Lord!  those 're  my 
arrow  tips,  soaking  in  snake  poison !  A  scratch  would 
do  for  you  as  sure  as  a  drink  of  cyanide.  Brought 
down  an  eland  with  one  of  those  little  points  —  ante- 
lope big  as  a  steer." 

"  Poison !  fancy  now !  "  exclaimed  Lord  James. 

"  Yes ;  from  a  puff  adder  that  almost  got  Miss  Jenny 
—  fellow  big  as  my  leg.  Struck  at  her  as  she  bent 
to  pick  an  amaryllis.  If  it  had  so  much  as  grazed  her 
hand  or  arm  —  God !  " 

He  looked  away,  his  teeth  clenched  together  and  the 
sweat  starting  out  on  his  broad  forehead.  What  he 
thought  of  Genevieve  Leslie  was  plainly  evident  in 
his  convulsed  face  and  dilated  eyes.  If  he  could  be 
so  overwrought  by  the  mere  remembrance  of  a  danger 
that  she  had  escaped,  he  must  love  her,  not  as  most 
men  love,  but  with  all  the  depth  and  strength  of  his 


TWO  — AND     ONE  23 

powerful  nature.  Lord  James's  lips  pressed  together 
and  his  gray  eyes  clouded  with  pain. 

"  Close  shave,  heh  ?  "  he  muttered. 

"  Yes,"  replied  Blake.  He  drew  in  a  deep  breath, 
and  added,  "  Not  the  first,  though,  nor  the  last.  But  a 
miss  is  as  good  as  a  mile,  hey,  Jimmy  boy?  " 

"  Gad,  old  man,  that  sounds  natural !  Can't  say  you 
look  it,  though  —  not  altogether.  Must  get  you 
aboard  and  into  another  style  of  fine  raiment.  Fur 
trousers  not  good  form  in  this  climate,  y'  know.  You 
picked  up  that  shirt  at  a  remnant  counter,  I  take  it. 
Come  aboard.  Must  mow  that  alfalfa  patch  before 
any  one  suspects  you  're  trying  to  raise  a  beard." 

The  friendly  banter  seemed  to  have  the  contrary 
effect  from  that  intended.  Blake's  face  darkened. 

"  Good  Lord,  no !  "  he  rumbled.  "  Go  aboard  with 
her?  What  d'  you  take  me  for?  " 

"  Give  you  my  word,  I  don't  take  you  at  all,"  replied 
the  puzzled  Englishman. 

"What!  Hasn't  she  told  you?  But  of  course  she 
would  n't  —  unless  she  saw  you  alone,"  muttered  Blake. 
"  Come  on  up  the  canon.  I  've  thought  it  all  out  — 
just  what  must  be  done.  But  it  '11  take  some  time  to 
explain.  Wait !  Did  you  come  alone  ?  —  any  one  fol- 
low you  ?  " 

"  No.     Told  'em  to  stay  near  the  boat." 

"  Just  the  same,  I  '11  make  sure,"  said  Blake.  He 
dived  into  the  barricade  passage,  and  quickly  reap- 
peared, dragging  at  the  butt  of  the  date  palm. 
"  There,  me  lud ;  the  door  is  shut.  Nobody  is  going 
to  walk  in  on  our  private  conference  now.  Come  on." 


CHAPTER  III 

LORD    AND    MAN 

BLAKE  turned  about  and  swung  away  up  the 
ravine.  Lord  James  followed  in  the  half-ob- 
literated path,  which  led  along  the  edge  of  a 
tiny  spring  rill.  The  cleft  was  here  closed  in  on  each 
side  with  sheer  walls  of  rock  from  twenty  to  thirty 
feet  high.  At  the  point  where  this  small  box  canon 
intersected  the  middle  of  the  cliff  ridge,  the  gigantic 
baobab  that  Lord  James  had  seen  from  the  steamer, 
towered  skyward,  its  huge  trunk  filling  a  good  third 
of  the  width  of  the  gorge.  Across  from  it  and  nearer 
at  hand  was  a  thicket  of  bamboos,  around  which  the 
spring  rill  trickled  from  a  natural  basin  in  the  rock. 

But  the  visitor  gave  scant  heed  to  the  natural 
features  of  the  place.  His  glance  passed  from  a  great 
antelope  hide,  drying  on  a  frame,  to  the  bamboo  racks 
on  which  sun-seared  strips  of  flesh  were  curing  over 
a  smudge  fire.  Looking  to  his  left,  he  saw  a  hut  hardly 
larger  than  a  dog  kennel  but  ingeniously  thatched  with 
bamboo  leaves.  Then  his  glance  was  caught  and  held 
by  a  curious  contrivance  of  interwoven  thorn  branches 
and  creepers,  fitted  into  a  high  narrow  opening  in  the 
trunk  of  the  baobab. 

"  What 's  that?  —  hollow  tree?  »*  he  asked. 
24 


LORD     AND     MAN  25 

"  Yes,"  answered  Blake,  without  turning.  "  Six- 
teen-foot room  inside.  That 's  where  the  she-leopard 
and  the  cubs  were  smothered.  Fired  the  gully  to  drive 
out  the  family.  All  stayed  at  home  and  got  smothered 
'cept  old  Mr.  Leopard.  He  ran  the  gantlet.  Lord, 
how  he  squalled,  poor  brute !  But  they  'd  have  eaten 
us  if  we  had  n't  eaten  them.  He  landed  in  the  pool,  too 
scorched  to  see.  Settled  him  with  my  club." 

"  Clubbed  him  ?  —  a  leopard !  I  say  now !  A  bit 
different,  that,  to  snipe  shooting." 

"  Well,  yes,  a  trifle  different,  Jeems  —  a  trifle,"  con- 
ceded Blake. 

"  My  word !  What  have  n't  you  been  through !  " 
burst  out  the  Englishman.  "  And  to  think  she,  too, 
went  through  it  all  —  six  weeks  of  it ! " 

"That's  it!"  enthused  Blake.  "She's  the  truest, 
grittiest  little  girl  the  sun  ever  had  the  good  luck  to 
shine  on!  If  she  thinks  now  I  can't  realize  —  that 
I  'm  not  going  to  do  the  square  thing  by  her  J  I  've 
been  thinking  it  all  over,  Jimmy.  I  've  got  it  all 
mapped  out  what  I  'm  going  to  do.  Wait,  though !  " 

He  sprang  ahead  and  pulled  at  the  thorny  contriv- 
ance that  stopped  the  opening  in  the  baobab  trunk. 
It  was  balanced  midway  up,  on  a  crossbar.  Almost  at 
a  touch,  the  lower  part  swung  up  and  outward  and  the 
upper  half  down  and  inward.  He  stepped  in  under 
it,  hesitated  a  moment,  and  went  on  into  the  hollow, 
with  an  exclamation  of  relief :  "  No,  't  is  n't  her  room 
any  more,  thank  God !  " 

Lord  James  stared.  Well  as  he  knew  the  sterling 
qualities  of  his  friend,  he  had  never  suspected  him  of  such 


26  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

delicacy.  He  gazed  curiously  around  at  the  unshapely 
but  flawless  sand-glazed  earthenware  set  on  a  bamboo 
rack  beside  the  open  stone  fireplace,  at  the  rough- 
woven  but  strong  baskets  piled  together  near  the  foot 
of  the  baobab,  at  the  pouch  of  antelope  skin,  the  grass 
sombreros,  the  bamboo  spits  and  forks  and  spoons 
—  all  the  many  useful  utensils  that  told  of  the  inge- 
nuity and  resourcefulness  of  his  friend. 

But,  most  of  all,  he  was  interested  in  the  weighty 
hardwood  club  leaning  against  the  tree  trunk  and  the 
great  bamboo  bow  hanging  above  in  a  skin  sheath 
beside  a  quiver  full  of  long  feather-tipped  arrows.  He 
was  balancing  the  club  when  Blake  came  out  of  the 
tree-cave,  carrying  a  young  cocoanut  in  one  hand,  and 
in  the  other  a  small  pot  seemingly  full  of  dried  mud. 
Lord  James  replaced  the  club,  and  waved  his  hand 
around  at  the  camp. 

"  Ton  my  word,  Tom,"  he  commented,  "  you  've  out- 
Crusoed  old  Robinson !  " 

"  Sure ! "  agreed  Blake.  "  He  had  a  whole  shipful 
of  stuff  as  a  starter,  while  we  did  n't  have  anything 
except  my  magnifying  glass  and  Win's  penknife  and 
keys." 

He  pulled  out  a  curious  sheath-knife  made  of  a 
narrow  ribbon  of  steel  set  in  a  bone  back.  "  How  's 
that  for  a  blade  ?  Big  flat  British  keys  —  good  steel. 
I  welded  'em  together,  end  to  end." 

"  Gad !  the  pater's  private  keys  I "  gasped  Lord 
James.  "  You  don't  tell  me  the  rascal  was  imbecile 
enough  to  keep  those  keys  in  his  pocket?  —  certain 
means  of  identification  if  he  'd  been  searched !  " 


LORDANDMAN  27 

"What!"  shouted  Blake.  "Then  the  duke  he 
cleaned  out  was  your  dad.  Whew!  " 

He  whirled  the  mud-stoppered  jug  overhead  and 
dashed  it  down  at  his  feet.  From  amidst  the  shattered 
fragments  he  caught  up  a  dirty  cloth  that  was  quilted 
across  in  small  squares.  He  held  it  out  to  Lord  James. 

"  There  you  are,  Jimmy  —  my  compliments  and 
more  or  less  of  your  family  heirlooms." 

"  My  word !  "  murmured  the  earl,  catching  eagerly 
at  the  cloth.  "  You  got  the  loot  from  him ?  That's 
like  you,  Tom !  " 

"  Look  out ! "  cautioned  Blake.  "  I  opened  one 
square  to  see  what  it  was  he  had  hidden.  You  '11  find 
he  had  n't  been  too  daffy  to  melt  the  settings  —  keys 
or  no  keys.  Say,  but  it 's  luck  to  learn  they  're  yours ! 
Hope  they  're  all  there." 

"  All  the  good  ones  will  be.  He  could  n't  have  sold 
or  pawned  any  of  the  best  stones  after  we  cabled. 
Gad !  won't  the  pater  be  tickled !  Ah  1 " 

From  the  open  square  of  which  Blake  had  spoken, 
his  lordship  drew  out  a  resplendent  ruby.  "  Centre 
stone  of  Lady  Anne's  brooch !  " 

He  ran  his  immaculate  finger-tips  over  the  many 
squares  in  the  cloth.  "  A  stone  in  every  one  —  must 
be  all  of  the  really  valuable  loot!  The  settings  were 
out  of  date  —  small  value.  How'd  you  get  it  from 
him,  Tom?  " 

Blake  hesitated,  and  answered  in  a  low  tone:  "He 
got  hurt  the  night  of  the  second  cyclone.  But  he 
was  n't  responsible  —  poor  devil !  He  must  have  been 
dotty  all  along.  It  did  n't  show  much  before  —  but 


28  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

I  felt  uneasy.     That's   why  I  built  that  thorn   door 

—  so  she  could  bar  herself  in." 

Lord  James  stared  in  horrified  surprise.  "  You  really 
do  not  mean  —  ?  " 

"  Yes  —  and  it  almost  happened !  God !  "  Again 
Blake  clenched  his  teeth  and  the  cold  sweat  burst  out  on 
his  forehead. 

"  My  word !  That 's  worse  than  the  snake !  "  mur- 
mured Lord  James. 

"  She  —  she  'd  left  the  door  up  —  heat  was  stifling," 
explained  Blake.  "  I  had  gone  off  north,  exploring. 
The  beast  was  crawling  in  —  But  I  've  got  to  re- 
member he  was  n't  responsible  —  a  paranoiac !  " 

"  Ah,  yes.  And  then  ?  "  questioned  the  Englishman, 
tugging  nervously  at  the  tip  of  his  little  blond  mus- 
tache. 

"  Then  —  then  — "  muttered  Blake.  "  He  got  what 
was  coming  to  him.  Cyclone  struck  like  a  tornado. 
Door  whirled  down  and  knocked  him  out  of  the  open- 
ing —  smashed  him !  " 

"  The  end  he  had  earned !  " 

"  Yes  —  even  if  he  was  n't  responsible,  he  had  be- 
come just  that  —  a  beast.  She  had  saved  his  life,  too 

—  night  I  ran  down  to  the  beach  after  eating  a  poison 
fish.     Barricade  had  n't   been   finished.     He  was   down 
with  the  fever.     They  were  attacked  —  jackals,  hyenas. 
She  got  him  safe  inside  the  tree,  with  the  yelling  curs 
jumping  at  her." 

"  My  word !  she  did  that  ?  —  she  ?  Of  all  the  young 
ladies  I  've  ever  known,  she  was  the  very  last  I  should 
have  expected — " 


LORDANDMAN  39 

"What!  you've  met  her  before?"  demanded  Blake. 

"Then  she  hasn't  told  you?"  replied  his  friend. 
"  Lady  Bayrose  was  one  of  my  old  friends,  y'  know. 
Met  'em  aboard  ship  —  sailed  on  the  same  steamer, 
after  my  run  home." 

"  You  did?  "  muttered  Blake,  in  blank  astonishment. 
"  You  know  her?  " 

"  You  must  have  heard  me  sing  out  to  her  from  the 
boat.  Yes,  I  —  er  —  had  the  voyage  with  her  through 
the  Mediterranean  and  down  the  Red  Sea.  But  Lady 
Bayrose  got  tiffed  at  me,  and  at  Aden  shifted  to  a  Cape 
boat.  I  had  to  go  on  to  India  alone." 

"  India  ?  "  queried  Blake. 

"  Trailing  Hawkins.  He  first  went  to  India.  But 
he  doubled  back  and  'round  to  Cape  Colony." 

"  So  that 's  why  you  did  n't  get  here  sooner,"  said 
Blake. 

"  Yes.  Did  n't  notice  that  the  Impala  was  posted. 
Did  n't  know  either  you  or  Miss  Leslie  was  aboard  her 
until  after  I  learned  you  'd  thrown  up  the  management 
of  that  Rand  mine.  Traced  you  to  Cape  Town.  Odd 
that  you  and  she  and  Hawkins  should  all  have  booked 
on  the  same  steamer !  " 

"Think  so?"  said  Blake.  "I  don't.  Winthrope 
— -  Hawkins,  that  is  —  was  smooth  enough  to  know 
he  'd  not  be  suspected  if  travelling  as  a  member  of 
Lady  Bayrose's  party.  He  had  already  wormed  him- 
self into  her  favor.  As  for  me  —  well,  they  had  come 
to  look  at  the  mine,  and  I  had  shown  Jenny  through  the 
workings.  Does  that  make  it  clear  why  I  threw  up 
the  job  and  followed  them  to  Cape  Town?  " 


80  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  She  had  not  given  you  any  reason  to  —  surely,  not 
any  encouragement?  No,  I  can't  believe  it!" 

"  Course  not,  you  British  doughhead !  It  was  all  the 
other  way  'round.  Think  I  did  n't  realize  ?  She,  a 
lady,  and  me  —  what  I  am !  But  I  could  n't  help  it 
— •!  just  couldn't  help  myself,  Jimmy.  Knew  her 
father,  too  —  all  about  his  millions  and  how  he  made 
them !  He  did  me  —  twice.  You  'd  think  the  very 
name  would  have  turned  me.  Yet  the  minute  I  set  eyes 
on  her  —  say !  " 

"  You  're  certainly  hard  hit ! "  murmured  the  young 
earl.  He  flushed,  bit  his  lip,  hesitated,  and  burst  out 
with  impulsive  generosity :  "  Gad,  old  man !  If  it 's 
true  —  if  she  really  —  er  —  has  come  to  love  you,  I 
own  that  you  've  won  her  fair  and  square  —  all  this, 
y'  know."  He  waved  his  hand  around  in  a  sweeping 
gesture.  "  Saved  her  from  all  this.  Yes  —  if  it 's 
really  true ! " 

Blake  looked  away,  and  spoke  in  a  hushed  voice: 
"  It 's  —  it 's  true,  Jimmy !  Only  a  little  while  ago, 
there  on  the  cliff  edge  when  we  saw  your  steamer,  she 
— she  told  me.  It  started  yesterday  after  I  bluffed 
off  the  lion.  You  see,  she  — " 

"  Lion?  "  ejaculated  Lord  James. 

"  Yes."  Blake  flung  up  his  head  in  an  impatient 
gesture.  "  The  beast  tried  to  stalk  us.  Jumped  back 
into  the  grass  when  I  circled  out  at  him.  I  got  the 
grass  fired  before  he  screwed  up  courage  to  tackle  me. 

—  Don't    cut    in !  —     It   was    then   that    Jenny  —  she 

—  she   tried  to   say   something.     But   I   streaked   for 


LORD     AND     MAN  31 

home.  This  morning,  though,  when  I  saw  we  were 
safe,  I  was  weak  enough  to  let  her  —  speak  out." 

Lord  James  hesitated  just  perceptibly,  and  then 
caught  his  friend's  big,  ill-used  hand  in  a  cordial  clasp. 
"  So  —  you  're  engaged !  Congratulations  ! " 

"  If  only  it  was  just  that !  "  cried  Blake.  He  flushed 
red  under  his  thick  coat  of  tan.  "I  —  I  suppose  I  've 
got  to  tell  you,  Jimmy  —  I  must.  I  need  your  help 
to  carry  out  my  plan." 

"Your  plan?"  repeated  the  Englishman  wonder- 
ingly. 

"  To  save  her  from  —  from  committing  herself.  It 
is  n't  fair  to  her  to  let  her  do  it  now.  She  ought  to 
wait  till  she  gets  back  home,  among  her  own  people. 
You  see  she  wants  to  —  She  —  she  says  that  ship 
captains  can — "  He  caught  his  breath,  and  bent 
nearer,  but  with  his  face  half  averted.  His  voice  sank 
to  an  almost  inaudible  murmur  — "  that  ship  captains 
can  marry  people." 

"  Ah ! "  gasped  Lord  James.  But  he  recovered  on 
the  instant.  "  Gad !  that  is  a  surprise,  old  man.  Al- 
ways the  lady's  privilege,  though,  to  name  the  day, 
y'  know.  I  shipped  a  stewardess  to  wait  on  the 
women  —  had  hoped  they  would  all  have  been  saved. 
She  '11  do  for  lady's  maid.  Also  brought  along  some 
women's  togs,  in  case  of  emergencies.  As  for  yourself, 
between  mine  and  Megg's  and  his  own  wardrobes,  my 
man  can  rig  you  up  a  presentable  outfit.  Clever  chap, 
that  Wilton." 

"  You  've  gone  back  to  a  valet  again !  "  reproached 


32  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

Blake,  momentarily  diverted.  Then  his  fists  clenched 
and  his  brows  met  in  a  frown  of  self-disgust.  "  Lord ! 
for  me  to  forget  for  a  second!  Look  here,  Jimmy, 
you  're  clean  off.  You  don't  savvy  a  little  bit.  Don't 
you  see  the  point?  I  can't  let  her  commit  herself  now 
—  here!  You  know  I  can't.  It  wouldn't  be  fair  to 
her,  and  you  know  it." 

Lord  James  met  his  look  with  a  clear  and  unfaltering 
gaze,  and  answered  steadily :  "  That  all  depends  on 
one  thing,  Tom.  If  she  really  loves  you — " 

"  D*  you  think  she 's  the  kind  to  do  it,  if  she 
didn't?"  demanded  Blake.  "No,  that's  not  the 
point,  at  all.  I  've  tried  to  be  square,  so  far.  She  saw 
what  I  'm  like  when  I  cut  loose  —  there  on  the  ship. 
I  was  two-thirds  drunk  when  the  cyclone  flung  us 
ashore.  No  excuse  —  except  that  all  of  them  had 
turned  me  down  from  the  first  —  there  at  Cape  Town. 
Yes,  she  knows  just  what  I  'm  like  when  the  craving 
is  on  me.  Yesterday,  down  there  at  the  south  head- 
land, before  the  lion  came  around,  I  gave  her  some  idea 
of  what  I  've  done  —  all  that." 

"  You  've  lived  a  cleaner  life  than  most  who  're 
considered  eligible ! "  exclaimed  Lord  James.  "  I  know 
that  with  respect  to  women,  you  're  the  cleanest  — " 

"  Eligible !  "  broke  in  Blake.  "  No  man  is  that,  far 
as  she  's  concerned,  unless  it 's  you,  Jimmy." 

"  Chuck  it !  You  're  always  knocking  yourself. 
But  about  this  plan  that 's  bothering  you  ?  Out  with 
it." 

"  That 's  talking !  All  right,  here  it  is,  straight  — 
I  want  you  to  get  back  aboard  and  steam  away,  fast 


LORD     AND     MAN  SB 

as  you  can  hike.  You  can  run  into  Port  Mozambique, 
if  you  're  going  north,  and  arrange  for  a  boat  to  call 
by  for  me." 

"  You  're  daft !  "  cried  Lord  James.  "  Daft !  Mad 
as  a  hatter !  Can  you  fancy  for  a  moment  I  'd  go  off 
and  leave  you  here?  " 

"  Guess  you  can't  help  yourself,  Jimmy.  The  most 
you  can  do  is  force  me  to  take  to  the  jungle.  You 
can't  get  me  aboard.  I  tell  you,  I  've  figured  it  all 
out.  I  won't  go  aboard  and  let  her  do  —  what  she  's 
planning  to  do.  You  ought  to  know,  Jimmy,  that 
when  I  say  a  thing,  I  mean  it.  She 's  not  going  to 
set  eyes  on  me  again  until  after  she  's  back  in  America. 
Is  that  plain  ?  " 

"  Tom  —  old  man !  that 's  like  you !  "  cried  the 
Englishman,  and  again  he  gripped  the  other's  rough 
hand.  "  I  see  now  what  you  're  driving  at.  It 's  a 
thing  few  men  would  have  the  bigness  to  do.  You  're 
giving  up  a  certainty,  because  your  love  for  her  is 
great  enough,  unselfish  enough  to  consider  only  her 
good.  D'  you  fancy  I  could  do  such  a  thing? 
You  're  risking  everything.  Shows  you  're  fit,  even 
for  her!" 

"  It 's  little  enough  —  for  her !  "  put  in  Blake. 

"That's  like  you  to  say  it,"  rejoined  his  friend. 
"  See  here,  old  man.  You  've  made  a  clean  breast 
of  it  all.  I  should  be  no  less  candid.  You  know  now 
that  I  met  her  before  —  was  all  those  weeks  with  her 
aboard  ship.  Need  I  tell  you  that  I,  too,  love  her?  " 

"  You?  "  growled  Blake.  "  But  of  course  1  I  don't 
blame  you.  You  could  n't  help  it." 


34  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  It 's  been  an  odd  shuffling  of  the  cards,"  remarked 
his  friend.  "  What  if  —  Are  n't  you  afraid  there 
may  be  a  new  deal,  Tom?  If  you  don't  come  aboard, 
she  and  I  will  be  together  at  least  as  far  as  Zanzibar, 
and  probably  all  the  way  to  Aden,  before  I  can  find 
some  one  else  to  take  her  on  to  England." 

"  What  of  that?  "  rejoined  Blake.  "  Think  I  don't 
know  you  're  square,  after  the  months  we  roughed-it  to- 
gether? " 

"  Then  —  But  I  can't  leave  you  here  in  this  hell- 
hole !  You  've  no  right  to  ask  me  to  do  that,  Tom. 
If  I  could  bring  my  guns  ashore  and  stay  with  you 
—  But  she  '11  never  be  more  in  need  of  some  one,  if 
you  insist  upon  your  plan.  I  say !  I  have  it  — 
We  '11  slip  you  aboard  after  dark.  You  can  lie  in 
covert  till  we  reach  Port  Mozambique.  I  trust  I  'm 
clever  enough  to  keep  her  diverted  that  long.  Can  put 
it  that  you  're  outfitting  —  all  that,  y'  know." 

"  Say,  that 's  not  so  bad,"  admitted  Blake,  half  per- 
suaded. "  I  could  slip  ashore,  soon  as  we  ran  into 
harbor,  leaving  her  a  note  to  tell  her  why." 

"  Right-o,  Tammas !  But  wait.  I  '11  go  you  one 
better.  You  can  write  your  note  and  give  it  out  that 
you  've  shifted  to  another  ship.  But  you  '11  stay 
aboard  with  us,  under  cover.  Of  all  the  steamers  that 
touch  at  Aden,  one  will  soon  come  along  with  parties 
whom  either  she  or  I  know.  Then  off  she  goes  to  the 
tight  little  island,  and  we  follow  after  in  our  little 
tramp  or  on  another  liner.  Hey,  Tammas  ?  " 

"  Well,  I  don't  know,"  hesitated  Blake.  "  It  sounds 
all  right." 


LORDANDMAN  35 

"  It  is  all  right,"  insisted  the  younger  man.  "  You  '11 
be  aboard  the  same  steamer  with  her  as  far  as  Aden,  to 
keep  an  eye  on  me,  y'  know." 

"On  you?" 

"  You  'd  better.  My  word,  Tom !  don't  you  realize? 
If  you  —  er  —  put  it  off,  I  'm  bound  to  try  for  myself. 
Can't  help  it !  " 

"  Think  you  've  got  a  show,  do  you  ?  "  rallied  Blake. 

"  I  fancied  I  had  as  much  chance  as  any  one,  before 
all  this  occurred.  I  at  least  should  have  been  in  the 
running,  had  it  not  been  for  the  wreck  —  and  you." 

Blake  stood  for  several  moments,  with  his  head  down- 
bent  and  eyes  fixed  upon  the  ground.  When  he  looked 
up  and  spoke,  his  face  was  grave  and  his  voice  deep  and 
low. 

"  It 's  all  of  a  piece,  Jimmy.  I  don't  blame  you. 
Fact  is,  it 's  all  the  better.  I  've  had  all  the  advantage 
here.  She  and  I  've  been  living  in  the  Cave  Age,  and 
I  've  proved  myself  an  A-l  cave-man,  if  I  do  say  it 
myself.  It  may  be  hard  for  her  to  get  the  right  per- 
spective of  things,  even  after  she 's  back  in  her  own 
environment.  Understand? " 

"  I  take  it,  you  mean  she  has  seen  the  display  of  your 
strongest  and  best  qualities,  in  circumstances  that  did 
not  call  for  such  non-essentials  as  mere  polish  —  draw- 
ing room  culture." 

"  You  mean,  for  all  that  counts  most  with  ninety- 
nine  per  cent  of  your  class  and  hers,"  rejoined  Blake. 
"  And  there  's  the  craving,  too.  I  '11  have  to  fight  that 
out  before  I  '11  be  fit  to  let  her  do  anything.  Think 
I  don't  know  the  difference  between  us  ?  No !  I  'm 


36  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

going  to  go  the  limit,  Jimmy.  I  can't  do  less,  and  be 
square  to  her.  So  I  give  you  full  leave.  You  're  free 
to  play  your  hand  for  all  there  is  in  it.  I  '11  stay 
here  — " 

"  No  —  no !     I  '11  not  hear  of  it,  Tom !  " 

"  Yes,  you  will.  I  '11  stay  here,  and  you  '11  see  her 
clear  through  to  America  —  to  Chicago  —  right  to  her 
papa's  house  and  in  through  the  door.  Understand? 
I  don't  make  a  single  condition.  You  're  to  try  your 
best  to  win ;  and  if  you  do,  why  —  don't  you  see  ?  — 
it  '11  show  that  this  which  she  thinks  is  the  real  thing 
is  all  a  mistake." 

"  My  word,  old  man !  you  'd  not  give  her  up  without 
a  fight?  That  would  n't  be  like  you !  " 

"  It  all  depends.  I  won't  if  it 's  true  she  loves  me  — 
God!  no !  I  'd  go  through  hell-fire  for  her!  " 

"  If  I  know  you,  Tom,  you  '11  suffer  that  and  more, 
should  the  event  prove  she  is  mistaken  as  to  the  nature 
of  her  present  feeling." 

"What  of  it?"  muttered  Blake,  with  a  look  that 
told  the  other  the  uselessness  of  persuasion.  "  Think 
I  'd  let  her  marry  me,  long  as  there  's  a  shadow  of  a 
chance  of  her  being  mistaken?  " 

"  Very  well,  then,"  replied  his  friend.  "  You  've 
said  your  say.  Now  I  '11  say  mine.  I  can  ease  the 
tedium  of  Miss  Leslie's  trip  up  the  coast;  and  I  stand 
ready  to  do  so  —  on  two  conditions.  In  the  first  place ; 
you  're  to  come  aboard  and  stay  aboard.  After  I  find 
a  chaperon  for  her  at  Aden,  you  're  to  go  on  home 
with  me,  to  visit  at  Ruthby." 

"  Excuse    me! "    said    Blake.     "  I    can    see    myself 


LORD     AND     MAN  87 

parading  around  your  ancestral  stone-heap  with  your 
ducal  dad!" 

"  You  not  only  can,  but  will,"  rej  oined  the  earl. 
"  Come  now.  You  '11  be  allowed  to  write  that  note  at 
Port  Mozambique,  and  keep  in  covert  till  Miss  Leslie 
is  safe  off  the  ship.  But  you  '11  do  the  rest  —  you  '11 
not  stay  here.  Another  thing  —  you  have  my  word 
for  it  now  —  I  shall  endeavor  no  more  than  yourself 
to  win  her,  until  after  she  has  returned  to  her  home  in 
the  States." 

"  Lord,  Jimmy !  that 's  square  —  to  me,  I  mean. 
But  how  about  her?  " 

"  No  fear,"  reassured  the  Englishman.  "  She  's  re- 
ceived everywhere.  She  's  been  presented  —  at  Court, 
y'  know.  If  she  stays  over  on  this  side  a  bit,  there  '11 
be  dozens  of  'em  dancing  attendance  on  her.  Come, 
now ;  it 's  all  settled." 

"  Well,  I  don't  know,"  hesitated  Blake. 

"  I  tell  you,  you  '11  sail  with  us,  else  I  shall  leave 
her  at  Port  Mozambique  and  come  back  for  you." 

"  Um-m  —  if  you  take  it  that  hard !  But  are  you 
sure  you  can  keep  her  satisfied  till  we  put  in  there?  " 

"  Trust  me  for  that.  If  she  becomes  apprehensive, 
I  '11  put  it  that  you  'd  rather  be  married  in  port,  by  the 
American  consul." 

"  That 's  no  lie.  Say,  what 's  the  use  of  waiting  till 
dark  ?  You  said  there  's  a  stewardess  aboard.  Jenny 
will  sure  be  below  with  her  until  —  until  she  's  ready  for 
the  ceremony." 

"Quite  true,  yes.  Then  it's  all  settled.  At  Port 
Mozambique,  your  note ;  you  bunk  forward,  under 


38  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

cover,  till  Aden ;  then  home  with  me  for  a  visit ;  neither 
of  us  see  her  beyond  Aden  until  we  follow  her  to  the 
States." 

"  Since  you  insist  —  yes,  it 's  a  go,  Jimmy  !  "  agreed 
Blake.  He  turned  to  hasten  away  along  the  gorge, 
past  the  baobab.  "  I  '11  be  back  soon.  Got  to  pull 
down  that  flag." 

Lord  James  followed,  and  saw  him  ascend  to  the 
cliff  crest  on  the  right,  up  a  withered,  leafless  tree. 
The  trunk  had  been  burned  through  at  the  base  in  such 
manner  that  the  top  had  fallen  over  against  the  edge 
of  the  rocky  wall.  A  pile  of  stones  offered  an  easy 
means  of  reaching  the  lower  branches.  The  earl 
climbed  up  into  the  top,  and  watched  his  friend  run 
forward  over  the  broken  ledges  of  the  ridge. 

The  bamboo  flagstaff  was  wrenched  from  its  sup- 
ports and  lowered  amidst  a  wild  commotion  of  the  nest- 
ing sea  birds.  Blake  came  back  at  a  jog-trot,  regard- 
less of  the  fierce  heat  of  the  sun.  In  his  arms  were 
gathered  the  tattered  folds  of  the  signal  flag. 

"  That 's  one  thing  I  'm  going  to  take  away,'*  he 
said,  in  response  to  the  other's  look  of  inquiry.  "  She 
sewed  that  leopard-skin  dress  all  by  herself,  with  a 
thorn  for  needle,  so  we  could  have  her  skirt  for  the 
flag." 

"  Fancy ! "  murmured  the  Englishman.  "  With  a 
thorn,  you  say !  " 

Blake  nodded,  and  followed  him  down  the  tree-ladder 
and  back  along  the  cleft  to  the  baobab.  There  he 
paused  to  take  down  his  archery  outfit. 

"  Guess   I  '11  keep  these,  too,   as  souvenirs,"   he  re- 


LORDANDMAN  39 

marked.  He  pointed  to  the  blackened  strips  of  flesh 
on  the  curing  racks.  "  May  I  ask  Lord  Avondale  to 
stay  to  dinner?  " 

"  Very  kind,  I  'm  sure.  But  I  've  a  previous  engage- 
ment," declined  his  lordship. 

"  Now,  now,  Jeems.  Need  n't  turn  up  your  aristo- 
cratic nose  at  first-class  jerked  antelope.  Ought  to  've 
been  with  us  the  first  three  days.  Great  menu  —  raw 
fish,  cocoanuts,  more  cocoanuts,  and  then,  just  when  we 
were  whetting  our  teeth  for  a  nice  fat  snake  or  an 
entree  of  caterpillars,  I  landed  that  old  papa  leopard. 
Managed  to  haggle  some  of  the  india  rubber  off  his 
bones.  Tough!  —  but  it  was  filling.  All  the  same, 
we  did  n't  wear  out  any  more  teeth  on  him  after  we  got 
up  the  cleft  and  found  the  cubs.  They  were  tender  as 
spring  lambs." 

"  And  Miss  Genevieve  went  through  all  that !  " 

"  Yes.  Told  you  she  's  the  grittiest  little  girl  ever 
—  and  a  lady !  My  God,  when  I  think  of  it  all ! 
...  Well,  she 's  come  through  it  alive.  What 's 
more,  she  Js  not  going  to  suffer  any  bad  consequences 
from  it,  not  if  I  can  help  it!  Come  on.  Got  your 
heirloom  rag  ?  " 

"  Safe  —  inside  pocket." 

"  All  right,  then.  Come  on.  You  don't  think  I  'm 
aching  to  hang  'round  this  cursed  hole,  do  you?-— 
now  that  she  's  gone ! " 

He  flung  his  bow  and  quiver  over  his  shoulder,  thrust 
the  signal  flag  into  the  skin  pouch,  and  turned  to  go. 

Lord  James  stepped  before  him,  with  hand  out- 
stretched. 


40  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  One  moment,  Tom !  Here  's  for  home  and  America 
—  a  fair  field,  and  best  man  wins  1 " 

"  It 's  a  go ! "  cried  Blake,  gripping  the  proffered 
hand.  "  May  she  get  the  one  that  '11  make  her  hap- 
piest ! " 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE    EARL    AND    THE    OTHEES 

MISS  DOLORES  GANTRY  shook  the  snow 
from  her  furs,  and  with  the  graceful  as- 
surance of  a  yacht  running  aslant  a  craft- 
swarming  harbor,  cut  into  the  crowd  that  surged 
through  the  Union  Station.  She  brought  up  in  an 
empty  corner  of  the  iron  fence,  close  beside  the  exit 
gate  through  which  passengers  were  hurrying  from 
the  last  train  that  had  arrived.  Her  velvety  black  eyes 
flashed  an  eager  glance  at  the  out-pouring  stream,  per- 
ceived a  Mackinaw  jacket,  and  turned  to  make  swift 
comparison  of  the  depot  clock  and  the  tiny  bracelet 
watch  on  her  slender  wrist. 

As  she  again  looked  up  she  met  the  ardent  gaze  and 
ingratiating  smile  of  an  elegant  young  man  who  was 
sauntering  up  the  train-platform  to  the  exit  gate,  fas- 
tidiously apart  from  his  fellow  passengers.  He  raised 
his  hat,  and  at  the  girl's  curt  nod  of  recognition,  has- 
tened through  the  gate  for  a  more  intimate  greeting. 

"  My  dear  Dodie  1 "  he  exclaimed,  reaching  for  her 
hand.  "  This  is  a  most  delightful  surprise." 

"  My  dear  Laffie ! "  she  mocked,  deftly  slipping  both 
slender  hands  into  her  muff.  "  I  quite  agree  as  to  it's 
being  a  surprise." 

"  Then  you  did  n't  come  down  to  meet  me  ?  " 

41 


42 

"  You  ? "  she  asked,  with  an  irony  too  fine  drawn 
for  his  conceit.  "  Come  to  meet  you  ?  " 

"  Yes.  Did  n't  you  get  my  note  saying  that  all  work 
on  my  bridge  was  stopped  by  the  cold  and  that  I  would 
run  down  to  see  you?  " 

"  To  see  me  —  plus  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the 
devil!" 

"  Now,  Dodie ! "  he  protested,  with  a  smirk  on  his 
handsome,  richly  colored  face. 

The  girl's  eyes  hardened  into  black  diamonds  as  she 
met  his  assured  gaze.  "  Mr.  Brice-Ashton,  you  will 
hereafter  kindly  address  me  as  *  Miss  Gantry.'  You 
must  be  aware  that  I  am  now  out." 

"Oh,  I've  no  objections,  just  so  we're  not  out," 
he  punned. 

She  gave  him  her  shoulder,  and  peered  eagerly 
through  the  pickets  of  the  iron  fence  at  a  train  that 
was  backing  into  the  station.  Ashton  shrugged, 
lighted  a  gilt-tipped  cigarette,  and  asked :  "  Permit 
me  to  inquire,  Miss  Gon-tray,  if  I  'm  not  the  happy 
man  for  whom  you  wait,  who  is  ?  " 

She  replied  without  turning:  "How  can  I  tell  un- 
til I  see  him?  I  think  it  will  he  the  hero.  If  not, 
it  will  be  the  earl." 

"  Hero  ?  —  earl  ?  "  repeated  Ashton. 

"  Yes,  whichever  one  Vievie  leaves  for  me." 

"What!  Genevieve?  Miss  Leslie?  She's  not  — 
Is  she  really  coming  home  so  soon  ?  —  when  she  had 
such  a  chance  for  a  gay  season  in  London?  " 

"  Don't  give  yourself  away.  The  London  season  is 
in  summer." 


THE  EARL  AND  THE  OTHERS   43 

"  You  don't  say !  Well,  in  England,  then.  Why 
did  n't  you  write  me  ?  " 

"  I  *m  not  running  a  correspondence-school  or  news 
agency,  Mr.  Brice-Ashton." 

"  Oh,  cut  it,  Dodie !  Post  me  up,  that 's  a  good  girl ! 
What  I  've  heard  has  been  so  muddled.  This  hero 
business,  for  a  starter  —  what  about  it?  I  thought  it 
was  an  English  duke  that  chartered  the  steamer  to  rescue 
Genevieve." 

"  No,  only  the  son  of  a  duke, —  James  Scarbridge, 
the  Right  Honorable  the  Earl  of  Avondale." 

"  My  ante !  " 

"  It 's  in  the  jack-pot,  and  as  good  as  lost.  What 
chance  have  you  now  to  win  Genevieve, —  with  a 
real  earl  and  a  real  hero  in  the  field?  " 

"  Earl  and  hero?     I  thought  he  was  the  hero." 

"  That's  one  of  the  jokes  on  mamma.  Earl  Jimmy 
had  nothing  to  do  with  the  rescue  ships  that  Uncle 
Herbert  cabled  to  search  the  Mozambique  coast.  No ; 
Jeems  chartered  a  tramp  steamer  on  his  own  account, 
to  look  for  friend  Tommy.  He  found  the  heroic 
Thomas  and,  incidentally,  the  fair  Genevieve  —  who 
was  n't  so  very  fair  after  weeks  of  broiling  in  that 
East  African  sun." 

"  It 's  wonderful  —  wonderful !  To  think  that  she 
alone  of  all  aboard  her  steamer  should  have  survived 
shipwreck  on  that  savage  coast ! " 

"  She  did  n't  survive  alone  —  she  could  n't  have. 
That  5s  where  Tommy  came  in.  There  was  another 
man,  but  he  did  n't  count  for  much,  I  guess.  Vievie 
merely  wrote  that  he  died  during  the  second  cyclone." 


44  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  What  an  experience !  —  and  for  a  girl  like  Gene- 
vieve !  " 

"  She,  of  all  girls ! "  chimed  in  Dolores  enviously. 
"  You  remember  she  never  went  in  for  sports  of  any 
kind,  not  even  riding.  And  for  her  to  be  flung  out 
that  way  into  the  tropical  jungles,  among  lions  and 
crocodiles  and  snakes  and  things !  Why  can't  I  ever 
have  romantic  adventures  ?  " 

"  You  would  n't  give  the  man  a  chance  to  prove  him- 
self a  hero,"  objected  Ashton.  "You'd  shoot  the 
lions  yourself." 

"  I  am  good  at  archery.  A  bow  and  arrows,  you 
know,  were  all  that  Mr.  Blake  had." 

"  Blake?  "  repeated  Ashton  in  rather  a  peculiar  tone. 

"  Yes,  Tommy  the  hero,  otherwise  Mr.  Thomas 
Blake." 

"Blake  —  Thomas  Blake?"  echoed  Ashton. 
"I  —  rather  odd  —  I  once  —  seems  to  me  I  once  knew  a 
man  of  that  name.  You  don't  happen  to  know  if  he  's 
a  —  that  is,  what  his  occupation  is,  do  you  ?  " 

Ashton  was  not  the  kind  of  man  from  whom  is  ex- 
pected hesitancy  of  speech.  The  girl  spared  him  a 
swift  glance  from  the  out-flocking  stream  of  passengers. 
His  fixed  gaze  and  slack  lower  jaw  betrayed  even  more 
uneasiness  than  had  his  voice. 

"  Don't  be  afraid,"  she  mocked.  "  He  's  not  a  minis- 
ter ;  so  he  could  n't  marry  her  without  help,  and  he  's 
not  done  it  since  the  rescue." 

"  Not  done  it?  "  repeated  Ashton  vaguely. 

"  No.  According  to  mamma's  letter,  Earl  Jimmy 
outgeneraled  the  low-browed  hero.  At  Aden  he  put 


THE  EARL  AND  THE  OTHERS   45 

Vievie  on  a  P.  and  0.  steamer,  in  the  charge  of  Lady 
Chetwynd.  He  and  the  hero  followed  in  the  tramp 
steamer  to  England,  where  he  kept  friend  Thomas  at 
his  daddy's  ducal  castle  until  Vievie  made  mamma  start 
home  with  her.  You  know  mamma  streaked  it  for 
London,  at  Uncle  Herbert's  expense,  the  moment  Vievie 
cabled  from  Port  Mozambique  that  she  was  safe. 
Uncle  Herbert  would  have  sent  me,  too,  but  mamma 
wouldn't  have  it.  Just  like  her!  It  was  her  first 
chance  to  do  England  and  crowd  in  on  Vievie's  noble 
friends.  She  said  I  might  spoil  the  good  impression 
she  hoped  to  make,  because  I  'm  too  much  of  a  torn- 
boy." 

"  But  if  it 's  your  mother  and  Genevieve  you  're 
waiting  for  —  I  understood  you  to  say  the  earl  and 
that  man  Blake.'* 

"  Oh,  they  followed  on  the  next  steamer.  Mamma 
wired  that  they  are  all  coming  on  together  from  New 
York." 

"Where's  Mr.  Leslie?     Did  he  go  to  meet  them?" 

"  He  ?  You  should  know  how  busy  Uncle  Herbert 
always  is.  I  called  by  his  office  for  him.  He  sent 
out  word  to  go  on.  He  would  follow." 

"  What !  after  all  Genevieve  went  through,  all  those 
hardships  and  dangers?     You  'd  think  that  even  he  — " 

"  Look !  oh,  look !  there  she  is  now ! "  cried  the  girl, 
pressing  close  against  the  fence  and  waving  her  hand- 
kerchief between  the  pickets. 

"  Where  ?  Yes,  I  see !  beside  your  mother !  "  ex- 
claimed Ashton,  and  he  lifted  his  hat  on  his  cane. 

The  signals  won  them  recognition  from  the  approach- 


46  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

ing  ladies,  the  younger  of  whom  responded  with  a  quietly 
upraised  hand.  Beside  her  walked  a  rosy-cheeked  blonde 
young  Englishman,  while  in  front  a  big  square-built 
man  thrust  the  crowd  forward  ahead  of  them.  They 
were  followed  by  two  maids,  a  valet,  and  two  porters, 
with  hand  luggage. 

As  the  party  emerged  from  the  gateway  the  younger 
lady  leaned  forward  and  spoke  in  a  clear  soft  voice: 
"  Turn  to  the  left,  Tom." 

The  big  man  in  the  lead  swerved  out  of  the  crowd 
and  across  the  corner  past  Miss  Gantry,  who  was  ad- 
vancing with  outstretched  arms,  her  eyes  sparkling  with 
joyous  excitement. 

"  Vievie !  "  she  half  shrieked. 

Blake  glanced  over  his  shoulder  and  stopped  short 
at  sight  of  the  girls  locked  in  each  other's  arms.  After 
a  moment's  fervent  embrace,  Dolores  thrust  her  cousin 
out  at  arm's-length  and  surveyed  her  from  top  to  toe 
with  radiant  eyes. 

"  Vievie  I  Vievie !  I  really  can't  believe  it !  To 
think  you  're  home  again  —  when  we  never  expected 
to  see  you  —  and  you  've  got  almost  all  the  tan  off  al- 
ready ! " 

Genevieve  looked  up  into  the  vivacious  face  of  the 
younger  girl  with  an  affectionate  smile  on  her  deli- 
cately curved  lips  and  tears  of  joy  in  her  hazel  eyes. 

"  It  is  good  to  be  home  again,  dear ! "  she  mur- 
mured. She  drew  Dolores  about  to  face  the  big  man, 
who  stood  looking  on  with  rather  a  surly  expression 
in  his  pale  blue  eyes.  "  Tom,"  she  said,  "  this  is 
my  cousin,  Miss  Gantry.  Dolores,  Mr.  Blake." 


THE  EARL  AND  THE  OTHERS   47 

"  The  hee-row ! "  sighed  Dolores,  clasping  a  hand 
dramatically  on  her  heart. 

Blake's  strong  face  lighted  with  a  humorous  smile. 
"  Guess  I  've  got  to  own  up  to  it,  Miss  Dolores.  Any- 
thing Jenny  —  Miss  Leslie  —  says  goes." 

As  he  spoke  he  raised  his  English  steamer  cap 
slightly  and  extended  a  square  powerful  hand.  Dolores 
entrusted  her  slender  fingers  to  the  calloused  palm,  which 
closed  upon  them  with  utmost  gentleness. 

"  Really,  Mr.  Blake ! "  she  exclaimed,  "  I  mean  it. 
You  are  a  hero." 

Blake's  smile  broadened,  and  as  he  released  her  hand, 
he  glanced  at  her  mother,  who  had  drawn  a  little  apart 
with  the  Englishman.  "  Don't  let  me  shut  out  your 
mamma  and  Jimmy." 

"  Oh,  mamma  believes  that  any  display  of  family  af- 
fection is  immodest,"  she  replied.  "  But  duty,  you 
know  —  duty !  " 

She  whirled  about  and  impressed  a  loud  salute  upon 
the  drooping  jowl  of  the  stately  Mrs.  Gantry. 

"  Dolores !  "  admonished  the  dame.  "  When  will  you 
remember  you  're  no  longer  a  hoyden  ?  Such  im- 
petuosity —  and  before  his  lordship  1 " 

"  Goodness !  Is  he  really  ?  "  panted  her  daughter, 
surveying  the  Englishman  with  candid  curiosity. 

"  Is  he  really ! "  Mrs.  Gantry  was  profoundly 
shocked.  "  If  you  were  n't  out,  I  'd  see  that  you  had  at 
least  two  more  years  in  a  finishing  school." 

"  Horrors !  that  certainly  would  finish  me.  But  you 
forget  yourself,  mamma.  You  keep  his  earlship  wait- 
ing for  his  introduction." 


48  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

The  Englishman  shot  a  humorous  glance  at  Blake, 
and  drew  out  his  monocle.  He  screwed  it  into  his  eye 
and  stared  blandly  at  the  irrepressible  Miss  Gantry, 
while  her  mother,  with  some  effort,  regained  a  degree 
of  composure.  She  bowed  in  a  most  formal  manner. 

"The  Right  Honorable  the  Earl  of  Avondale:  I 
present  my  daughter." 

The  earl  dropped  his  monocle,  raised  his  cap,  and 
bowed  with  unaffected  grace.  Dolores  nodded  and 
caught  his  hand  in  her  vigorous  clasp. 

"  Glad  to  meet  you,"  she  said.  "  It 's  rare  we  meet 
a  real  live  earl  in  Chicago.  Most  of  'em  are  caught 
in  New  York,  soon  as  they  land." 

"  It 's  good  of  you  to  say  it,  Miss  Gantry,"  he  re- 
plied, tugging  at  the  tip  of  his  little  mustache.  "  I  've 
been  over  before,  you  know.  Came  in  disguise.  This 
time  I  was  able  to  march  through  New  York  with 
colors  flying,  thanks  to  your  mother  and  Miss  Leslie." 

Dolores  sent  her  glance  flashing  after  his,  and  saw 
Genevieve  responding  coldly  to  the  effusive  greeting 
of  Ashton.  The  young  man  was  edging  towards  the 
earl.  But  Genevieve  turned  to  introduce  him  first  to 
her  companion. 

"  Mr.  Blake,  Mr.  Brice-Ashton." 

"  I  'm  sure  I  'm  —  pleased  to  meet  you,  Mr.  Blake," 
murmured  Ashton,  his  voice  breaking  slightly  as  Blake 
grasped  his  gloved  hand  in  the  bare  calloused  palm. 

"  Any  friend  of  Miss  Jenny's ! "  responded  Blake 
with  hearty  cordiality.  But  as  he  released  the  other's 
hand,  he  muttered  half  to  himself,  "  Ashton  ?  —  Ash- 
ton? Haven't  I  met  you  before,  somewhere?" 


THE  EARL  AND  THE  OTHERS   49 

As  Ashton  hesitated  over  his  reply,  Genevieve  spoke 
for  him :  "  No  doubt  it 's  the  familiarity  of  the  name, 
Tom.  Mr.  Brice-Ashton's  father  is  Mr.  George  Ash- 
ton,  the  financier." 

"What!  him?"  exclaimed  Blake.  "But  no.  It's 
his  face.  I  remember  now.  Met  him  in  your  father's 
office." 

"In  father's  office?" 

"  When  I  was  acting  as  secretary  for  your  father, 
Miss  Genevieve,"  Ashton  hastened  to  explain.  "  You 
remember,  I  was  in  your  father's  office  for  a  year. 
That  was  before  I  succeeded  with  my— -  plans  for  the 
Michamac  cantilever  bridge  and  went  to  take  charge  of 
the  construction  as  resident  engineer." 

"  Your  plans  ?  "  muttered  Blake  incredulously. 

"  To  be  sure.  I  remember  now,"  said  Genevieve  ab- 
sently, and  she  turned  to  look  about,  with  a  per- 
plexed uptilting  of  her  arched  brows.  "  But,  Dolores, 
where  is  papa?  " 

"  Coming  —  coming,  Viviekins,"  reassured  her  cousin, 
breaking  short  an  animated  conversation  with  the  earl. 
"  Don't  worry,  dear.  He  '11  be  along  in  a  few  minutes." 

Genevieve  stepped  forward  beside  Blake  to  peer  at 
the  crowd.  Dolores  took  pity  on  Ashton,  who  had 
edged  around,  eager  for  an  introduction  to  the  titled 
stranger. 

"  Oh,  your  earlship,"  she  remarked,  "  this,  by  the 
way,  is  Mr.  Laffie  Brice- Ashton.  I  'd  like  to  present 
him  to  you,  but  I  'm  afraid  your  Right  Honorableness 
would  n't  take  him  even  as  a  gift  if  you  knew  him  as 
well  as  I  do." 

4 


50  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  Oh,  now,  Do  —  Miss  Gon-tray !  "  protested  Ash- 
ton. 

The  Englishman  bowed  formally  and  adjusted  his 
monocle,  oblivious  of  the  hand  that  Ashton  had  stripped 
of  its  glove. 

"  Your  —  your  grace  —  I  should  say,  your  lord- 
ship," stammered  Ashton,  hastily  dropping  his  hand, 
"  I  'm  extremely  delighted  —  honored,  I  mean  —  at  the 
unexpected  pleasure  of  meeting  your  lordship.'* 

"  Ah,  really  ?  "  murmured  his  lordship. 

"  Mr.  Brice-Ashton's  father  is  one  of  our  most 
eminent  financiers,"  interposed  Mrs.  Gantry. 

"  Ah,  really  ?  What  luck  !  "  politely  exclaimed  the 
Englishman.  He  stepped  past  the  son  of  the  eminent 
financier,  to  address  Genevieve  in  an  impulsive,  boyish 
tone,  "  I  say,  Miss  Leslie,  hop  up  on  a  suitcase  be- 
tween Tom  and  me.  You  '11  see  over  their  heads." 

"  Hold  on,"  said  Blake,  who  was  staring  towards 
the  outer  door.  "  He  's  coming  now." 

"Where?  Are  you  sure,  Tom?"  asked  Genevieve, 
here  eyes  radiant. 

"  Sure,  I  'm  sure,"  said  Blake.  "  Met  your  father 
once.  That  was  enough  for  me." 

"  Tom  1     You  '11  not  —  ?  " 

"  Enough  for  me  to  remember  him,"  he  explained 
with  grim  humor.  "  Don't  worry.  I  don't  want  a 
row  any  more  than  you  do." 

"  Or  than  he  will !  He  '11  not  forget  that  had  it  not 
been  for  you — " 

"  And  Jimmy !  " 

"  Chuck  it,  old  man,"  put  in  Lord  James.     "  Miss 


THE  EARL  AND  THE  OTHERS   51 

Leslie  knows  as  well  as  you  do  that  one  or  more  of 
the  steamers  chartered  by  her  father  must  certainly 
have  sighted  your  signal  flag  within  a  fortnight.  I 
merely  had  the  luck  to  be  first." 

"  A  lot  of  things  can  happen  inside  two  weeks,  down 
on  the  Mozambique  coast.  Eh,  Miss  Jenny  ? "  said 
Blake. 

For  the  moment,  forgetful  even  of  her  father,  Gene- 
vieve  clasped  her  gloved  hands  and  gazed  upwards  over 
the  heads  of  the  rushing  multitude  at  a  vision  of  swampy 
lagoons,  of  palm  clumps  and  tangled  jungles,  of  tower- 
ing cliffs,  and  hot  sand  beaches,  all  aglare  with  the 
fierce  downbeat  of  the  tropical  sun. 


CHAPTER  V 

A    REFRACTORY    HERO 

A  SHORT,  stout,  gray-haired  man  burst  out  of 
the  crowd,  jerked  off  his  hat  to  Mrs.  Gantry, 
and  hastened  forward,  his  gray-brown  eyes 
fixed  hungrily  upon  Genevieve.  A  moment  later  he 
had  her  in  his  arms.  She  returned  his  embrace  with 
fervor  yet  with  a  well-bred  quietness  that  drew  a  nod 
of  approval  from  Mrs.  Gantry. 

"  So !  you  're  home  —  at  last  —  my  dear ! "  com- 
mented Mr.  Leslie,  patting  his  daughter's  back  with  a 
sallow,  vein-corded  hand. 

"  At  last,  papa !  I  should  have  hurried  to  you  at 
once,  in  spite  of  your  cables,  if  you  had  n't  said  you 
were  starting  for  Arizona." 

"  Could  n't  tell  how  long  I  'd  be  on  that  trip. 
Wanted  you  to  enjoy  the  month  in  England,  since 
Lady  Chetwynd  had  asked  you.  But  come  now.  I 
must  see  you  started  home.  Cut  short  one  Board  meet- 
ing. Must  be  at  another  within  half  an  hour." 

He  stepped  apart  from  her  and  jerked  out  his  watch. 

"  Yes,  papa,  only  — "  She  paused  and  looked  at 
him  earnestly.  "  Did  you  not  receive  my  telegram, 
that  we  had  met  Mr.  Blake  and  Lord  James  in  New 
York,  and  that  they  were  to  come  on  with  us  ?  " 

"  Hey  ?  "  snapped  Mr.  Leslie,  his  eyes  glinting  keen 
52 


A     REFRACTORY     HERO  53 

and  cold  below  their  shaggy  brows.  First  to  be  trans- 
fixed by  their  glance  was  young  Ashton,  who  stood 
toying  with  the  fringe  of  Dolores'  muff.  "  What 's 
this,  sir?  What  you  doing  here?" 

Ashton  gave  back  a  trifle  before  the  older  man's 
irascibility,  but  answered  with  easy  assurance :  "  I 
thought  it  would  do  no  harm  to  run  down  for  a  few 
days.  All  work  at  Michamac  is  stopped  —  frozen  up 
tight." 

"  It 's  not  the  way  your  father  got  his  start  in  life 
—  frivolity !  Stick  to  your  work  all  the  time  —  stick !  " 
rejoined  Mr.  Leslie.  He  turned  and  met  the  monocled 
stare  of  the  earl.  "H'm.  This,  I  suppose,  is  the  gentle- 
man who  — " 

"  My  dear  Herbert,  permit  me,"  interposed  Mrs. 
Gantry.  "Ah  —  the  Right  Honorable  the  Earl  of 
Avondale :  I  have  the  honor  to  present  — " 

"  Glad  to  meet  you,  sir ! "  broke  in  Mr.  Leslie,  clutch- 
ing the  Englishman's  hand  in  a  nervous  grip.  "  Glad 
of  the  chance  to  thank  you  in  person ! " 

"  But,  I  say,  I  'm  not  the  right  man,  y'  know,"  pro- 
tested Lord  James.  "  The  small  part  I  had  in  it  is 
not  worth  mentioning."  He  laid  a  hand  on  Blake's 
broad  shoulder.  "  It 's  my  friend  Thomas  Blake  you 
should  thank." 

Mr.  Leslie  stepped  back  and  eyed  Blake's  impassive 
face  with  marked  coldness.  "  Your  friend  Blake?  "  he 
repeated. 

"  Old  friend  —  camp-mate,  chum  —  all  over  Western 
America  and  South  Africa.  It 's  he  who  's  entitled  to 
the  credit  for  the  rescue  of  Miss  Leslie." 


54,  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  We'll  talk  about  your  part  later.  You  '11,  of 
course,  call  on  us,"  said  Mr.  Leslie.  He  fixed  his  nar- 
rowing eyes  on  Blake.  "  H'm.  So  you  're  Tom  Blake 
—  the  same  one." 

"  That 's  no  lie,"  replied  Blake  dryly. 

"  You  heard  me  say  I  'm  busy.  Have  no  time  to- 
day. I  '11  give  you  an  appointment  for  to-morrow,  at 
my  office,  ten  A.  M.  sharp." 

"  Thanks.  But  you  're  a  bit  too  previous,"  said 
Blake.  "  I  have  n't  asked  for  any  appointment  with 
you  that  I  know  of." 

"  But,  Tom !  "  exclaimed  Genevieve,  astonished  at  the 
hostility  in  his  tone,  "  of  course  you  '11  go.  Papa 
wishes  to  thank  you  for  —  for  all  you  've  done.  To- 
day, you  see,  he  's  so  very  busy." 

Blake's  hard  eyes  softened  before  her  appealing 
glance,  only  to  stare  back  sullenly  at  her  father. 

"  I  'm  not  asking  any  thanks  from  him,  Miss  Jenny," 
he  replied. 

The  girl  caught  the  arm  of  her  father,  who  stood 
glowering  irritably  at  Blake.  "  Papa,  I  —  I  don't  un- 
derstand why  you  and  Tom  —  Could  n't  you  —  won't 
you  please  be  a  little  more  cordial  ?  Wait !  I  have  it !  " 
She  flashed  an  eager  glance  at  Blake.  "  Tom,  you  '11 
dine  with  us  this  evening." 

He  looked  at  Lord  James,  and  replied  steadily: 
"  Sorry,  Miss  Jenny.  You  know  I  'd  like  to  come. 
But  I  've  got  a  previous  engagement." 

"  If  I  ask  you  to  break  it,  Tom?  " 

"  Can't  do  it.     I  've  given  my  word  —  worse  luck !  " 


A    REFRACTORY     HERO  55 

"  But  I  do  so  wish  you  and  papa  to  come  to  an 
understanding." 

"  Guess  I  understand  him  already ;  so  it 's  no  use 
to  —  There  now,  don't  worry.  Long  as  you  want  me 
to,  I  '11  accept  his  polite  invitation  for  to-morrow." 

"  Ten  A.  M.  sharp ! "  rasped  Mr.  Leslie.  He  drew 
Genevieve  about,  and  rushed  her  off,  with  a  curt  call 
to  Mrs.  Gantry :  "  Come,  Amice.  Dolores  brought 
the  coupe.  I  '11  put  you  in.  The  maids  and  baggage 
can  follow  in  my  car.  Hurry  up." 

Genevieve  was  whirled  away  into  the  thick  of  the 
crowd,  with  scarcely  time  for  a  parting  glance  at  Blake 
and  Lord  James.  Mrs.  Gantry  lingered  an  instant  to 
address  the  young  Englishman : 

"  Pray  do  not  forget,  earl,  you  are  to  dine  with 
me." 

As  Lord  James  bowed  in  polite  agreement,  Ashton, 
who  had  been  scribbling  on  one  of  his  cards,  held  it 
out.  "  Pardon  me,  your  lordship.  Here 's  a  list  of 
my  favorite  clubs.  Look  me  up.  I  '11  steer  you  to  all 
the  gay  spots  in  little  old  Chi." 

"  Mr.  Brice-Ashton  is  one  of  our  hustling  young 
grain  speculators,"  explained  Dolores.  "  Before  he 
went  to  Michamac  he  almost  cornered  the  market  in  wild 
oats." 

"Now,  Miss  Dodie!"  smirked  Ashton.  "Wait! 
I  '11  do  your  elbowing." 

But  the  girl  was  already  plunging  into  the  crowd, 
in  the  wake  of  her  mother,  the  maids,  and  the  porters. 
Ashton  hastened  after,  in  a  vain  attempt  to  overtake 


56  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

her.  Crowds  part  easier  before  a  pretty,  smiling, 
fashionably  dressed  girl  than  before  a  foppish  young 
man  who  affects  the  French  mode. 

The  card  with  the  list  of  clubs  fell  from  the  hand 
that  Lord  James  raised  to  screw  in  his  monocle. 

"  Stow  it,  Jimmy,"  growled  Blake.  "  I  feel  just 
prime  for  smashing  that  fool  window." 

Lord  James  slipped  the  monocle  into  his  pocket,  and 
twisted  at  the  end  of  his  short  mustache. 

"  Don't  blame  you,  old  man,"  he  remarked.  "  Her 
guv'nor  was  a  bit  crusty.  Quite  a  clever  girl  that  — 
the  cousin  —  eh  ?  " 

"Miss  Dolores?  She  sure  is  a  hummer.  Doesn't 
take  after  her  mother ;  so  she 's  all  right,"  assented 
Blake.  He  added  eagerly,  "  Say,  Jimmy,  she  's  just 
the  one  for  you.  You  're  so  blondy  blonde  you  need 
a  real  brunette  to  set  off  your  charms." 

"  Sorry,  Tom.  Saw  too  much  of  some  one  else  com- 
ing up  to  Aden  —  and  before.  Shouldn't  have  to  re- 
mind you  of  that." 

"  Damn  the  luck !  "  swore  Blake.  "  Well,  we  *ve  come 
to  the  show-down.  She  's  home  now ;  agreement 's  off." 

"  To-morrow,"  corrected  his  friend. 

"  Lord !  If  only  you  were  n't  you !  I  'd  knock  you 
clean  out  of  the  running ! " 

"  Rotten  luck ! "  murmured  Lord  James  sympathet- 
ically. "  Had  it  been  any  other  girl,  now  1  But  hav- 
ing met  her  before  you  did —  Deuce  take  it,  old 
man,  how  could  I  help  it?" 

"  'T  ain't  your  fault,  Jimmy.  You  know  I  don't 
blame  you.  I  don't  forget  you  began  to  play  fair  just 


A     REFRACTORY     HERO  57 

as  soon  as  you  got  next  to  how  matters  stood  between 
—  how  they  stood  with  me." 

"  Could  n't  play  the  cad,  you  know.  I  say,  though, 
it  's  time  we  talked  it  all  over  again.  Give  me  your 
trunk  check.  I  '11  have  my  man  send  your  luggage  to 
my  hotel.  You're  to  keep  on  bunking  with  me." 

"  No,"  replied  Blake.  "  It  was  all  right,  long  as 
we  were  travelling.  Now  I  've  got  to  hunt  a  hallroom 
and  begin  scratching  gravel." 

"  But  at  least  until  you  find  a  position." 

"  No.  I  'm  sure  of  something  first  pop,  if  old  Grif 
is  in  town.  You  remember,  I  once  told  you  all  about 
him  —  M.  F.  Griffith,  my  old  engineer  —  man  who 
boosted  me  from  a  bum  to  a  transitman.  Whitest  man 
that  ever  was !  Last  I  heard,  he  'd  located  here  in 
Chicago  as  a  consulting  engineer.  He  '11  give  me  work, 
or  find  it  for  me ;  and  Mollie  —  that 's  Mrs.  Grif  — 
she  '11  board  me,  if  she  has  to  set  up  a  bed  in  her  parlor 
to  do  it." 

"  Oh,  if  you  're  set  on  chucking  me,"  murmured  Lord 
James.  "  But  I  '11  stay  by  you  till  you  've  looked 
around.  If  you  don't  find  your  friend,  you  're  to  come 
with  me." 

"  Must  think  I  need  a  chaperon,"  rallied  Blake  in 
a  fond  growl.  "  Well,  signal  your  Man  Friday,  and 
we  '11  run  a  line  to  the  nearest  directory." 

Lord  James  signed  to  his  valet,  who  stood  near, 
discreetly  observant.  On  the  instant  the  man  stepped 
forward  with  his  master's  hand  luggage,  and  reached 
down  to  grasp  Blake's  suitcase,  which  had  been  left  by 
one  of  the  porters.  But  Blake  was  too  quick  for  him. 


58  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

Catching  up  the  suitcase  himself,  he  swung  away 
through  the  crowd  and  up  the  broad  stairway,  to  the 
Bureau  of  Information. 

Two  minutes  later  he  was  copying  an  address  from 
the  city  business  directory. 

"  Got  his  office  O.K.,"  he  informed  his  friend.  "  Over 
on  Dearborn  Street.  Next  thing  's  to  see  if  he 's  in 
tqwn.  Shunt  your  collar-buttoner,  and  come  on.  We 
can  walk  over  inside  ten  minutes." 

Lord  James  instructed  his  valet  to  take  a  taxicab 
to  the  hotel.  He  himself  proceeded  to  button  up  his 
overcoat  from  top  to  bottom  and  turn  up  the  collar. 

"  Your  balmy  native  clime ! "  he  gibed,  staring  rue- 
fully through  the  depot  windows  at  the  whirling  snow- 
storm without.  "  If  I  freeze  my  Grecian  nose,  you  '11 
have  to  buy  me  a  wax  one." 

Blake  chuckled.  "  Remember  that  night  up  in  the 
Kootenay  when  the  blizzard  struck  us  and  we  lost  the 
road?  " 

"Pleasant  time  to  recall  it!"  rejoined  Lord  James, 
with  a  shiver.  "  But  come  on.  I  'm  keen  to  meet  your 
Mr.  Griffith." 


CHAPTER  VI 

THREE   OF   A  KIND 

THEY  reached  the  great  office  building  on  Dear- 
born Street,  red-faced  and  tingling  from  the 
whirling  drive  of  the  powdery  snow.      It  was 
so  dry  with  frost  that  scarcely  a  flake  clung  to  their 
coats  when  they  pushed  in  through  the  storm  doors. 
The   elevator   shot  them   up   to   the  top    floor   of   the 
building  before  they  could   catch  their  breath  in   the 
close,  steam-heated  atmosphere. 

"  Whew!  "  said  Blake,  stepping  out  and  dropping 
his  suitcase,  to  shed  his  English  raincoat.  "  Talk 
about  Mozambique!  Guess,  you  know  now  you're  in 
Hammurica,  me  lud.  All  the  way  from  the  Pole  to 
Panama  in  one  swing  of  the  street  door." 

"  What  was  your  friend's  number? "  asked  Lord 
James,  eying  the  doors  across  the  corridor. 

"  Seventeen-fifteen.  Must  be  down  this  way,"  an- 
swered Blake. 

Catching  up  his  suitcase,  he  led  around  to  the  rear 
corner  of  the  building.  At  the  end  of  the  side  hall 
they  came  to  a  door  marked  "  No.1715."  On  the 
frosted  glass  below  the  number  there  was  painted  in 
plain  black  letters  a  modest  sign: 

59 


60  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

M.  F.   GRIFFITH,  C.  E. 
CONSULTING    ENGINEER 

Blake  led  the  way  in  and  across  to  the  plain  table- 
desk  where  a  young  clerk  was  checking  up  a  surveyor's 
field  book* 

"Hello,"   said  Blake.     "Mr.  Griffith  in?" 

"  Why,  yes,  he  's  in.  But  I  think  he 's  busy,"  re- 
plied the  clerk,  starting  to  rise.  "  I  '11  see.  What 
business  ?  " 

"Don't  bother,  sonny,"  said  Blake.  "We'll  just 
step  in  and  sit  down." 

The  clerk  stared,  but  resumed  his  seat,  while  Blake 
crossed  to  the  door  marked  "  Private,"  and  motioned 
Lord  James  to  follow  him  in.  When  they  entered,  a 
lank,  gray-haired  man  sat  facing  them  at  a  table-desk  as 
plain  as  the  clerk's.  It  was  covered  with  drawings, 
over  which  the  veteran  engineer  was  poring  with  such 
intentness  that  he  failed  to  perceive  his  callers. 

"Hello!  What's  up  now?"  asked  Blake  in  a  casual 
tone.  "Going  to  bridge  Behring  Straits?" 

"Hey?"  demanded  the  worker,  glancing  up  with  an 
abstracted  look. 

His  dark  eyes  narrowed  as  he  took  in  the  trim  figure 
of  the  earl  and  Blake's  English  cap  and  tweeds.  But 
at  sight  of  Blake's  face  he  shoved  back  his  chair  and 
came  hurrying  around  the  end  of  the  desk,  his  thin 
dry  face  lighted  by  a  rare  smile  of  friendship.  He 
warily  caught  the  tip  of  Blake's  thick  fingers  in  his 
bony  clasp. 

"Well!  I'll  be  — switched!"  he  croaked.     "What 


THREE     OF     A     KIND  61 

you  doing  here,  Tommy  ?  Thought  we  'd  got  rid  of 
you  for  good." 

"  Guess  you  '11  have  to  lump  it,"  rejoined  Blake. 
"I  'm  here  with  both  feet,  and  I  want  a  job  —  P-D-Q. 
First,  though,  I  want  you  to  shake  hands  with  my 
friend,  Jimmy  Scarbridge —  Hold  on!  Wait  a 
second." 

He  drew  himself  up  pompously,  and  bowed  to  Lord 
James  in  burlesque  mimicry  of  Mrs.  Gantry.  "  Aw, 
beg  pawdon,  m'lud.  Er  —  the  —  aw  —  Right  Hon'- 
able  the  —  aw  —  Earl  of  Avondale :  I  present  —  aw 
—  Mistah  Griffith." 

"  Chuck  it !  The  original 's  enough  and  to  spare,"  cut 
in  his  lordship.  He  turned  to  Griffith  with  unaffected 
cordiality.  "  Glad  to  meet  one  of  Tom's  other  friends, 
Mr.  Griffith." 

"  The  only  other,"  added  Blake. 

"  Then  I  'm  still  gladder ! "  said  Lord  James,  grip- 
ping the  bony  hand  of  Griffith.  "  Don't  let  Tom  chaff 
you.  My  name's  just  Scarbridge  —  James  Scar- 
bridge." 

"  Owh,  me  lud  I  Himpossible ! "  gasped  Blake. 
"  And  your  papa  a  juke!" 

At  sight  of  Griffith's  upcurving  eyebrows,  Lord 
James  smiled  resignedly  and  explained :  "  Quite  true 
N —  as  to  His  Grace,  y'  know.  But  I  assure  you  that 
even  in  England  I  am  legally  only  a  commoner.  It 's 
only  by  courtesy  —  custom,  you  know  —  that  I  'm 
given  my  father's  second  title." 

"  That 's  all  right,  Mr.  Scarbridge,"  assured  Grif- 
fith, in  turn.  "  Glad  to  meet  you.  Have  a  seat." 


62  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

While  the  callers  drew  up  chairs  for  themselves,  he 
returned  to  his  seat  and  hauled  out  a  box  of  good 
cigars.  Blake  helped  himself  and  passed  the  box  to 
Lord  James.  Griffith  took  out  an  old  pipe  and  pro- 
ceeded to  load  it  with  rank  Durham. 

"  Well  ?  "  he  croaked,  as  he  handed  over  a  match- 
box. "  What 's  the  good  word,  Tommy  ?  " 

"Haven't  you  heard?"  replied  Blake.  "I'm  a 
hero,  the  real  live  article, —  T.  Blake,  C.  E.,  H.  E., 
R.  O.— Oh!" 

"  No  j  oshing,  you  Inj  in,"  admonished  Griffith, 
pausing  with  a  lighted  match  above  the  bowl  of  his 
pipe. 

Lord  James  gazed  reproachfully  at  the  grinning 
Blake.  "He  tries  to  belittle  it,  Mr.  Griffith,  but  it's 
quite  true.  Have  n't  you  seen  about  it  in  the  press  ?  " 

"  Too  busy  over  this  Arizona  dam,"  said  Griffith, 
jerking  his  pipe  towards  the  drawings  on  his  desk. 

"  What  dam?  "  demanded  Blake,  bending  forward, 
keenly  alert. 

"  Zariba  —  big  Arizona  irrigation  pro  j  ect.  Simple 
as  A,  B,  C,  except  the  dam  itself.  That  has  stumped 
half  a  dozen  of  the  best  men.  Promoters  are  giving 
me  a  try  at  it  now.  But  I  'm  beginning  to  think  I  've 
bitten  off  more  'n  I  can  chew." 

"You?"  said  Blake  incredulously. 

"  Yes,  me.  When  it  comes  to  applying  what 's  in 
the  books,  I  'm  not  so  worse.  You  know  that,  Tommy. 
But  this  proposition  —  Only  available  dam  site  is 
across  a  stretch  of  bottomless  bog,  yet  it 's  got  to  hold 
a  sixty-five  foot  head  of  water." 


THREE     OF     A     KIND  63 

"  Je-ru-salem !  "  whistled  Blake.  "  Say,  you  've  sure 
got  to  give  me  a  shy  at  that,  Grif.  It  can't  be 
worked  out  —  that 's  a  cinch.  Just  the  same,  I  'd  like 
to  fool  with  the  proposition." 

Griffith  squinted  at  the  younger  engineer  through  his 
pipe  smoke,  and  grunted :  "  Guess  I  '11  have  to  let 
you  try,  if  you  're  set  on  it."  He  nodded  to  Lord 
James.  "  You  know  how  much  use  it  is  bucking 
against  Tommy.  The  boys  used  to  call  him  a  mule. 
They  were  half  wrong.  That  half  is  bulldog." 

"  Aw,  come  off !  "  put  in  Blake.  "  You  know  it 's 
just  because  I  hate  to  quit." 

"  That 's  straight.  You  're  no  quitter.  Should  n't 
wonder  if  you  held  on  to  this  dam  problem  till  you 
swallowed  it." 

"  Stow  the  kidding,"   said  Blake,   embarrassed. 

"  I  'm  giving  it  to  you  straight.  This  dam  has  made 
a  lot  of  good  ones  quit.  I  'm  about  ready  to  quit, 
myself.  But  I  '11  be  —  switched  if  I  don't  think  you  '11 
make  a  go  of  it,  Tommy." 

"  In  your  eye !  " 

"  No."  Griffith  took  out  his  pipe  and  fixed  an  ear- 
nest gaze  on  Blake.  "  I  'm  not  one  to  slop  over.  You 
know  that.  I  can  put  it  all  over  you  in  mathematics 
—  in  everything  that 's  in  the  books.  So  can  a  hundred 
or  more  men  in  this  country.  Just  the  same,  there  's 
something  —  you  've  got  something  in  you  that  ain't 
in  the  books." 

"  Whiskey  ? "  suggested  Blake,  with  bitter  self- 
derision. 

"  Tom !  "  protested  Lord  James. 


64,  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  What 's  the  use  of  lying  about  it  ? "  muttered 
Blake. 

"  You  've  no  whiskey  in  you  now,"  rej  oined  Griffith. 
"  I  'm  talking  about  what  you  are  now, —  what  you  've 
got  in  your  head.  It 's  brains." 

"  Pickled  in  alcohol !  "  added  Blake,  more  bitterly  than 
before. 

"  That 's  a  lie,  and  you  know  it,  Tommy.  You  're  not 
yet  on  the  shelf  —  not  by  a  long  sight." 

Blake  grinned  sardonically  at  Lord  James.  "  Hear 
that,  Jimmy?  Never  take  the  guess  of  an  engineer. 
They  're  no  good  at  guessing.  It 's  not  in  the  busi- 
ness." 

"  Chuck  it.  You  know  you  've  got  something  worth 
fighting  for  now." 

"  Lots  of  chance  I  '11  have  to  win  out  against  you !  " 
Blake's  teeth  ground  together  on  his  unlighted  cigar. 
He  jerked  it  from  his  mouth  and  flung  it  savagely  into 
the  wastebasket.  But  the  violent  movement  discharged 
the  tension  of  his  black  humor. 

"  Lord !  what  a  grouch  I  am ! "  he  mumbled. 
"  Guess  I  'm  in  for  a  go  at  the  same  old  thing." 

Griffith  and  Lord  James  exchanged  a  quick  glance, 
and  the  former  hastened  to  reply :  "  Don't  you  be- 
lieve it,  Tommy.  .Don't  talk  about  my  guessing. 
You  're  steady  as  a  rock,  and  you  're  going  to  keep 
steady.  You  're  on  the  Zariba  Dam  now, —  under- 
stand? " 

"  It 's  a  go !  "  cried  Blake,  his  eyes  glowing.  "  That 
fixes  me.  You  know  my  old  rule :  Not  a  drop  of  any- 
thing when  I 'm  on  a  job.  Only  one  thing  more,  and 


THREE     OF     A     KIND  65 

I  'm  ready  to  pitch  in.  I  must  get  Mollie  to  put  me 
up." 

Griffith  looked  down,  his  teeth  clenching  on  the  pipe 
stem.  There  was  a  moment's  pause.  Then  he  replied 
in  a  tone  more  than  ever  dry  and  emotionless :  "  Guess 
my  last  letter  did  n't  reach  you.  I  lost  her,  a  year 
ago  —  typhoid." 

"  God ! "  murmured  Blake.  He  bent  forward  and 
gripped  his  friend's  listless  hand. 

Griffith  winced  under  the  sympathetic  clasp,  turned 
his  face  away,  coughed,  and  rasped  out :  "  Work  's 
the  one  thing  in  the  world,  Tommy.  Always  believed 
it.  I  've  proved  it  this  year.  Work !  Beats  whiskey 
any  day  for  making  you  forget.  .  .  .  I  've  got 
rooms  here.  You  '11  bunk  with  me.  Pretty  fair  restau- 
rant down  around  the  corner." 

"  It 's  a  go,"  said  Blake.  He  nodded  to  Lord 
James.  "  That  lets  you  out,  Jimmy." 

"  Out  in  the  cold,"  complained  his  lordship. 

"  What !  With  Mamma  Gantry  waiting  to  present 
you  to  the  upper  crust?  —  I  mean,  present  the  crust 
to  you." 

"  Best  part  of  the  pie  is  under  the  crust." 

"  Now,  now,  none  of  that,  Jimmy  boy.  You  're  not 
the  sort  to  take  in  the  town  with  a  made-in-France 
thing  like  that  young  Ashton." 

"  Ashton  ? "  queried  Griffith.  "  You  don't  mean 
Laffie  Ashton?" 

"  He  was  down  at  the  depot  to  give  our  party  the 
glad  hand." 

"  Your  party  ?  "  repeated  Griffith.  He  saw  Blake 
s 


66  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

wink  at  Lord  James,  and  thought  he  understood.  "  I 
see.  He  knows  Mr.  Scarbridge,  eh  ?  It 's  like  him, 
dropping  his  work  and  running  down  here,  when  he 
ought  to  stick  by  his  bridge." 

"His  bridge?"  asked  Blake.  "Say,  he  did  blow 
about  having  landed  the  Michamac  Bridge.  But  of 
course  that 's  all  hot  air.  He  did  n't  even  take  part 
in  the  competition.  Besides,  you  need  n't  tell  me  he  's 
anything  more  than  a  joke  as  an  engineer." 

"  Is  n't  he,  though  ?  After  you  pulled  out  the  last 
time  — •  after  the  competition, —  he  put  in  plans  and 
got  the  Michamac  Bridge." 

"You're  joking!"  cried  Blake.  "He  got  it?  — 
that  gent  I" 

"  You  '11  remember  that  all  who  took  part  in  the 
competition  failed  on  the  long  central  span,"  said  Grif- 
fith. 

"  No !  "  contradicted  Blake.  "  /  did  n't.  I  tell  you, 
it  was  just  as  I  wrote  you  I  'd  do.  I  worked  out  a 
new  truss  modification.  I  'd  have  sworn  my  cantilever 
was  the  only  one  that  could  span  Michamac  Strait." 

"  And  then  to  have  your  plans  lost !  "  put  in  Grif- 
fith with  keen  sympathy  beneath  his  dry  croak.  "  Hell ! 
That  bridge  would  have  landed  you  at  the  top  of  the 
ladder  in  one  jump." 

"  Losing  those  plans  landed  me  on  a  brake-beam, 
after  my  worst  spree  ever,"  muttered  Blake. 

"  Don't  wonder,"  said  Griffith.  "  What  gets  me, 
though,  is  the  way  this  young  Ashton,  this  lily-white 
lallapaloozer  of  a  kid-glove  C.  E.,  came  slipping  in  with 


THREE     OF     A     KIND  67 

his  plans  less  than  a  month  after  the  contest.  I  looked 
up  the  records." 

"  What  were  you  doing,  digging  into  that  proposi- 
tion ?  "  demanded  Blake. 

"  What  d'  you  suppose  ?  Ashton  was  slick  enough  to 
get  an  ironclad  contract  as  Resident  Engineer.  His 
bridge  plans  are  a  wonder,  but  he 's  proved  himself 
N.  G.  on  construction  work.  Has  to  be  told  how  to 
build  his  own  bridge.  I  'm  on  as  Consulting  Engineer." 

"  You  ?  "  growled  Blake.  "  You,  working  again  for 
H.  V.  Leslie !  " 

"  Give  the  devil  his  due,  Tommy.  He 's  sharp  as 
tacks,  but  if  you  've  got  his  name  to  a  straightforward 
contract  — " 

"  After  he  threw  us  down  on  the  Q.  T.  survey  ?  " 

Griffith  coughed  and  hesitated.  "  Well  —  now  — 
look  here,  Tommy,  you  're  not  the  kind  to  hold  a  grudge. 
Anyway,  the  bridge  was  turned  over  to  the  Coville 
Construction  Company."  He  turned  quickly  to  Lord 
James.  "  Say,  what 's  that  about  his  being  in  the 
papers  ?  If  it 's  anything  to  his  credit,  put  me  next, 
won't  you  ?  I  could  n't  pry  it  out  of  him  with  a  crow- 
bar." 

"  So  you  're  going  to  use  a  Jimmy  instead,  eh?  " 
countered  Blake. 

"  Right-o,  Tammas,"  said  Lord  James.  "  We  're 
going  to  open  up  the  incident  out  of  hand." 

"  Lord !  "  groaned  Blake.  He  rose,  flushing  with  em- 
barrassment, and  swung  across,  to  stare  at  a  blueprint 
in  the  far  corner  of  the  room. 


68  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

Lord  James  flicked  the  ash  from  his  cigar  with  his 
little  finger,  and  smiled  at  Griffith. 

"  Tom  and  I  had  been  knocking  around  quite  a  bit, 
you  know,"  he  began.  "  Fetched  up  in  South  Africa. 
American  engineers  in  demand  on  the  Rand.  Tom  was 
asked  to  manage  a  mine." 

"  He  could  do  it,"  commented  Griffith.  "  Was  two 
years  on  a  low-grade  proposition  in  Colorado  —  made  it 
pay  dividends.  Didn't  he  suit  the  Rand  people?" 

"  Better  than  they  suited  him,  I  take  it.  I  left  for 
a  run  home.  Week  before  I  arrived  a  servant  looted 
the  family  jewels — heirlooms,  all  that,  you  know  — 
chap  named  Hawkins.  Thought  I  'd  play  Sherlock 
Holmes.  Learned  that  my  man  had  booked  passage 
for  India.  Traced  him  to  Calcutta.  Lost  two  months ; 
found  he  'd  doubled  back  and  gone  to  the  Cape.  Cape 
Town,  found  he  'd  booked  passage  for  England  under 
his  last  alias  —  Winthrope.  Steamer  list  also  showed 
names  of  my  friend  Lady  Bayrose,  Miss  Leslie,  and 
Tom." 

"Hey?"  ejaculated  Griffith,  opening  his  narrowed 
eyes  a  line. 

"  Same  time,  learned  the  steamer  had  been  posted  as 
lost,  somewhere  between  Port  Natal  and  Zanzibar." 

"  Crickey !  "  gasped  Griffith.  "  Then  it  was  Tom  who 
pulled  H.  V.'s  daughter  —  Miss  Leslie  —  through  that 
deal!  Heard  all  about  it  from  H.  V.  himself,  when 
he  took  me  out  to  Arizona  to  look  over  this  Zariba 
Dam  proposition.  But  he  did  n't  name  the  man. 
Well,  I  '11  be  —  switched !  Tommy  sure  did  land  in 
High  Society  that  time !  " 


THREE     OF    A    KIND  69 

"  They  landed  in  the  primitive,  so  to  speak, —  he  and 
Miss  Leslie  and  Hawkins, —  when  the  cyclone  flung  them 
ashore  in  the  swamps." 

"Hawkins?     Didn't  you  just  say — " 

"  Rather  a  grim  joke,  was  it  not?  Every  soul 
aboard  drowned  except  those  three  —  Tom  and  Miss 
Leslie  and  Hawkins,  of  all  men ! " 

"  Bet  Tommy  shook  your  family  jewels  out  of  his 
pockets  mighty  sudden." 

Lord  James  lost  his  smile.  "  He  got  them,  later  on, 
when  the  fellow  —  died." 

"  Died?     How?  " 

"  Fever  —  another  cyclone." 

"Eh?  Well,  God's  country  is  good  enough  for  me. 
Those  tropical  holes  sure  are  hell.  Tommy  once  wrote 
me  about  one  of  the  Central  American  ports.  You 
don't  ever  catch  me  south  of  the  U.  S.  This  East 
African  proposition,  now?  Must  have  been  a  tough  deal 
even  for  Tommy." 

"  They  were  doing  well  enough  when  I  found  him, 
both  he  and  Miss  Leslie, —  skin  clothes,  poisoned  ar- 
rows, house  in  a  tree  hollow  —  all  that,  y'  know." 

"Well,  I'll  be  —  !  But  that's  Tommy,  for  sure. 
He 's  got  the  kind  of  brains  that  get  there.  If  he 
can't  buck  through  a  proposition,  he  '11  triangulate 
around  it.  Go  on." 

"  There  's  not  much  to  tell,  I  fancy,  now  that  you 
know  he  was  the  man.  You  're  aware  that,  had  it  not 
been  for  his  resourcefulness  and  courage,  Miss  Leslie 
would  have  perished  in  that  savage  land  of  wild  beasts 
and  fever.  Yet  there  is  something  more  than  you  could 


70  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

have  heard  from  her  father,  something  I  'm  not  free 
to  tell  about.  Wish  I  was,  'pon  my  word,  I  do ! 
Finest  thing  he  ever  did, —  something  even  we  would 
not  have  expected  of  him." 

"Dunno  'bout  that,"  qualified  Griffith.  "There's 
mighty  little  I  don't  expect  of  him  —  if  only  he  can 
cut  out  the  lushing." 

Lord  James  twisted  his  mustache.  "  Ever  think  of 
him  as  wearing  a  dress  suit,  Mr.  Griffith?  " 

Griffith  looked  blank.     "  Tommy  ?  —  in  a  dress  suit  1 " 

"  There  's  one  in  his  box.  When  we  landed  in  Eng- 
land I  took  him  down  to  Ruthby.  Kept  him  there  a 
month.  You  'd  have  been  jolly  well  pleased  to  see  the 
way  he  and  the  guv'nor  hit  it  off." 

"  Governor?  " 

"  Yes,  my  pater  —  father,  y'  know." 

"  So  he's  a  governor?  Then  Tommy  was  stringing 
me  about  the  earl  and  duke  business." 

"  Oh,  no,  no,  indeed,  no.  The  pater  is  the  Duke  of 
Ruthby,  seventh  in  the  line,  and  twenty-first  Earl  of 
Avondale;  but  he's  a  crack-up  jolly  old  chap,  I  assure 
you.  Not  all  our  titled  people  are  of  the  kind  you 
see  most  of  over  here  in  the  States." 

"  But  —  hold  on  —  if  your  father  is  a  real  duke, 
then  you  're  not  Mr.  — " 

"  Yes,  I  must  insist  upon  that.  Even  in  England 
I  am  only  Mr.  Scarbridge  —  legally,  y'  know.  Hope 
you  '11  do  me  the  favor  of  remembering  I  prefer  it  that 
way." 

"  I  'd  do  a  whole  lot  for  any  man  he  calls  his  friend," 
said  Griffith,  gazing  across  at  Blake's  broad  back. 


THREE     OF     A     KIND  71 

Lord  James  glanced  at  his  watch,  and  rose.  "  Sorry. 
Must  go." 

"  Well,  if  you  must,"  said  Griffith.  "  You  know  the 
way  here  now.  Drop  in  any  time  you  feel  like  it. 
Rooms  are  always  open.  If  I  'm  busy,  I  've  got  a 
pretty  good  technical  library  —  if  you  're  interested  in 
engineering, —  and  some  photographs  of  scenery  and 
construction  work.  Took  'em  myself." 

"  Thanks.  I  '11  come,"  responded  Lord  James.  He 
nodded  cordially,  and  turned  to  call  slangily  to  Blake: 
"  S'  long,  bo.  I  'm  on  my  way." 

Blake  wheeled  about  from  the  wall.  "  What 's  this  ? 
Not  going  already?  " 

"  Ah,  to  be  sure.  Pressing  engagement.  Must  give 
Wilton  time  to  attire  me  —  those  studied  effects  —  last 
artistic  touches,  don't  y'  know,"  chaffed  the  English- 
man. 

But  his  banter  won  no  responsive  smile  from  his 
friend.  Blake's  face  darkened. 

"  You  're  not  going  to  see  her  to-day,"  he  muttered. 

"  How  could  you  think  it,  Tom  ?  "  reproached  the 
younger  man,  flushing  hotly.  "  I  have  it !  We  '11  ex- 
tend the  agreement  until  noon  to-morrow.  You  have 
that  appointment  with  her  father  in  the  morning." 

"  That 's  square !  Just  like  you,  Jimmy.  Course  I 
knew  you  'd  play  fair  —  It 's  only  my  grouch.  I  re- 
member now.  Madam  G.  gave  you  a  bid  to  dine  with 
her." 

Lord  James  drew  out  his  monocle,  replaced  it,  and 
smiled.  "  Er  —  quite  true ;  but  possibly  the  daughter 
may  be  a  compensation." 


72  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  Sure,"  assented  Blake,  a  trifle  too  eagerly. 
"  You  're  bound  to  like  Miss  Dolores.  I  sized  her  up 
for  a  mighty  fine  girl.  Not  at  all  like  her  mamma  — 
handsome,  lively  young  lady  —  just  your  style,  Jimmy." 

"  Can't  see  it,  old  man.  Sorry !  "  replied  his  lord- 
ship. "  Good-day.  Good-day,  Mr.  Griffith." 


CHAPTER  VH 

THE    HERO    EXPLAINS 

FOR  half  a  minute  after  his  titled  friend  had 
bowed  himself  out,  Blake  stood  glowering  at 
the  door.  The  sharp  crackle  of  a  blueprint 
under  the  thrumming  fingers  of  Griffith  caused  him  to 
start  from  his  abstraction  and  cross  to  the  desk,  where 
he  dropped  heavily  into  his  former  seat. 

"  Well?  "  demanded  Griffith.     "  Out  with  it." 

"With  what?" 

"  You  called  him  your  friend.  He  's  a  likely-looking 
youngster,  even  if  he  is  the  son  of  a  duke.  Same  time, 
there  's  something  in  the  wind.  Cough  it  up.  Have  n't 
happened  to  smash  any  heads  or  windows,  have  you, 
while  you  were  — " 

"  No ! "  broke  in  Blake  harshly.  "  It 's  worse  than 
that,  ten  times  worse !  It 's  —  it 's  Jenny  —  Miss 
Leslie ! " 

Griffith's  thin  lips  puckered  in  a  soundless  whistle. 
"  Well,  I  '11  be  — !  Don't  tell  me  you  've  gone  and  — • 
Why,  you  never  cared  a  rap  for  girls." 

"  No,  but  this  time,  Grif  —  It  began  when  I  showed 
her  through  that  Rand  mine.  Jimmy  has  told  you  what 
followed." 

Griffith  blinked,  and  discreetly  said  nothing  as  to 

78 


74  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

what  he  had  heard  from  Miss  Leslie's  father.      "  H'm. 
I  'd  like  to  hear  it  all,  straight  from  you." 

"  Can't  now.  Too  long  a  yarn.  I  want  to  tell  you 
about  the  results.  Could  n't  do  it  to  any  one  else,"  ex- 
plained Blake,  blushing  darkly  under  his  thick  layer  of 
tropical  tan.  He  sought  to  beat  around  the  bush. 
"  Well,  I  proved  myself  fit  to  survive  in  that  environ- 
ment, tough  as  it  was  —  sort  of  cave-man's  hell.  Queer 
thing,  though,  Jenny  —  Miss  Leslie  —  proved  fit,  too  ; 
that  is,  she  did  after  right  at  the  start.  She  's  got  a 
headpiece,  and  grit!  " 

"  Takes  after  her  dad,"  suggested  Griffith. 

"  Him ! " 

"  As  to  the  brains  and  grit." 

"  Not  in  anything  else,  though.  They  're  no  more 
alike  than  garlic  and  roses." 

"  Getting  poetic,  eh?  "  cackled  Griffith. 

"  Don't  laugh,  Grif.  It 's  too  serious  a  matter.  I  'd 
do  anything  in  the  world  for  her.  She  's  the  truest, 
grittiest  girl  alive.  She  told  me  straight  out,  there  at 
the  last,  that  she  —  she  loved  me." 

"Crickey!"  ejaculated  Griffith.  "She  told  you 
that?  —  she?  —  Miss  — " 

"  Hush !  not  so  loud !  "  cautioned  Blake.  Again  the 
color  deepened  in  his  bronzed  cheeks.  His  pale  eyes 
shone  very  blue  and  soft.  "  It  was  when  we  heard  the 
siren  of  Jimmy's  steamer.  She  —  You  '11  forget  this, 
Grif?  Never  whisper  a  hint  of  it ?" 

"  Sure !     What  you  take  me  for  ?  " 

"  Well,  she  would  n't  agree  to  wait.  Wanted  to  be 
married  as  soon  as  we  got  aboard  ship." 


THE     HERO     EXPLAINS  75 

"  She  — !  "  Griffith  lacked  breath  even  for  an  ex- 
pletive. 

"  I  agreed.  Could  n't  help  it,  with  her  looking1  at  me 
that  way.  Then  we  went  down  around  through  the  cleft 
to  the  shore,  where  the  boat  was  pulling  in.  Well,  there 
was  Jimmy  in  the  sternsheets,  in  a  white  yachting  suit  — 
Me  with  my  hyena  pants,  and  Jenny  in  her  leopard-skin 
dress ! " 

"  Say,  you  were  doing  the  Crusoe  business ! "  cackled 
Griffith. 

"  It  shook  me  out  of  my  dream  all  right,  soon  as  I 
set  eyes  on  Jimmy.  I  waded  out  with  —  Miss  Leslie, 
and  put  her  into  the  boat.  Told  him  to  hurry  her 
aboard.  I  cut  back  to  the  cleft  —  the  place  where  we  'd 
been  staying." 

"  Off  your  head,  eh?  " 

"  No.  Don't  you  see?  I  had  to  save  Jenny.  I  had 
proved  myself  a  pretty  good  cave-man,  and  she  had  been 
living  so  close  to  that  sort  of  thing  that  she  had  lost 
her  perspective.  Was  n't  fair  to  her  to  let  her  tie  her- 
self up  to  me  till  she  'd  first  had  a  chance  to  size  me  up 
with  the  men  of  her  class." 

"You  mean  to  say  you  passed  up  your  chance?" 

"  I  'd  have  been  a  blackguard  to  've  let  her  marry  me 
then ! "  cried  Blake,  his  eyes  flashing  angrily.  He 
checked  himself,  and  went  on  in  a  monotone :  "  I 
waited  till  Jimmy  came  back  to  fetch  me.  Course  I 
had  to  explain  the  situation.  Asked  him  to  pull  out 
without  me,  and  send  down  a  boat  from  Port  Mozam- 
bique. No  go.  Finally  we  fixed  it  up  for  me  to  slip 
aboard  into  the  forecastle." 


76  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  Well,  I  '11  be  —  switched !  "  croaked  Griffith.  "  You 
did  that,  to  escape  marrying  the  daughter  of  a  multi- 
millionaire !  " 

"  It  would  have  been  the  same  if  she  'd  been  poor, 
Grif .  She  's  a  lady,  through  and  through,  and  I  —  I 
love  her !  God  I  how  I  love  her !  " 

"  Guess  that 's  no  lie,"  commented  Griffith  in  his  dryest 
tone. 

Blake  relaxed  the  grip  that  seemed  to  be  crushing  the 
arms  of  his  chair. 

"  Well,  I  went  aboard  and  kept  under  cover.  Jimmy 
managed  to  keep  her  diverted  till  we  put  into  Port 
Mozambique.  There  I  sent  a  note  aft  to  her,  letting  on 
that  I  had  already  landed,  and  swearing  that  I  was  going 
to  steer  clear  of  her  until  after  she  got  back  to  her 
father.  But  I  kept  aboard,  in  the  forecastle,  as  Jimmy 
had  made  me  promise  to  do.  At  Aden,  Jimmy  put  her 
on  a  P.  and  0.  liner  in  the  care  of  a  friend  of  his,  Lady 
Chetwynd,  who  was  on  her  way  home  to  England  from 
India." 

"  He  went  along,  too ;  leaving  you  to  shift  for  your- 
self, eh?" 

"  Don't  you  think  it !  He  had  been  spending  half  the 
time  forward  with  me  in  that  stew-hole  of  a  forecastle. 
Soon  as  she  was  safe,  I  hiked  aft  and  bunked  with  him. 
No ;  Jimmy  's  as  square  as  they  make  'em.  To  prove  it 
—  he  had  met  Jenny  before ;  greatly  taken  with  her. 
There  on  the  steamer  was  the  very  chance  he  had  been 
after.  But  he  played  fair ;  did  n't  try  to  win  her.  Told 
me  all  about  it,  right  at  the  first,  and  we  came  to  an 
agreement.  We  were  both  to  steer  clear  of  her  over  on 


THE     HERO    EXPLAINS  77 

that  side.  That 's  why  we  stuck  close  to  Ruthby  Castle 
till  Jenny  sailed  for  home.  No;  Jimmy  is  white.  He 
had  invitations  to  more  than  one  house-party  where  she 
was  visiting  around  with  Lady  Chetwynd  and  Madam 
Gantry." 

"  So  neither  of  you  have  seen  her  since  there  at 
Aden?  " 

"  Yes,  we  have.  Came  on  from  New  York  with  her 
and  her  aunt.  They  had  stopped  over  when  they  landed, 
and  we  blundered  into  them  before  we  could  dodge." 

"  And  Miss  Leslie  ?  You  look  glum.  Guess  you  got 
what  was  coming  to  you,  eh?  " 

Blake's  face  clouded.  "  Have  n't  seen  her  apart  from 
her  aunt  yet.  She  has  been  kind  but  —  mighty  reserved. 
I  'd  give  a  lot  to  know  whether  — "  He  paused, 
gripping  his  chair  convulsively.  "  Just  the  same,  I 
haven't  quit.  The  agreement  with  Jimmy  is  off  to- 
morrow afternoon.  She  's  had  plenty  of  time  for  com- 
parisons. I  '11  make  my  try  then." 

"  Don't  fash  yourself,  Tom.  If  she  's  the  sort  you 
say,  and  went  as  far  as  you  say,  she 's  not  likely  to 
throw  you  over  now." 

"  You  don't  savvy !  "  exclaimed  Blake.  "  There  on 
that  infernal  coast  I  was  the  real  thing  —  and  the  only 
one,  at  that.  Here  I  'm  just  T.  Blake,  ex-bum,  periodic 
drunkard,  all  around — " 

"  Stow  that  drivel !  "  ordered  Griffith.  "  What  if  you 
were  a  kid  hobo?  What  are  you  now?  —  one  of  the 
best  engineers  in  the  country ;  one  that 's  going  to  make 
the  top  in  short  order.  I  tell  you,  you  're  going  to  suc- 
ceed. What 's  more,  Mollie  said  — " 


78  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  Mollie !  "  repeated  Blake  softly.  "  Say,  but  was  n't 
she  a  booster !  Had  even  you  beat,  hands  down.  Good 
Lord,  to  think  that  she,  of  all  the  little  women  — ! 
Only  thing,  typhoid  is  n't  so  bad  as  some  things.  They 
don't  suffer  so  much." 

"Yes,"  assented  Griffith.  "That  helps  —  some  — 
when  I  get  to  thinking  of  it.  She  went  out  quietly  — 
was  n't  thinking  of  herself." 

"  She  never  did !  "  put  in  Blake.  "  Say,  but  can't  a 
woman  make  a  heap  of  difference  —  when  she  's  the  right 
sort!" 

"  There  was  a  message  for  you.  She  said,  almost 
the  last  thing :  *  Tell  Tom  not  to  give  up  the  fight. 
Tell  him,'  she  said,  '  he  '11  win  out,  I  know  he  '11  win  out 
in  the  end. '  " 

"  God !  "  whispered  Blake.  «  She  said  that?  "  He 
bent  over  and  covered  his  eyes  with  his  hand. 

Griffith  averted  his  head  and  peered  at  the  blueprints 
on  the  nearest  wall  with  unseeing  eyes.  A  full  minute 
passed.  Keeping  his  face  still  averted,  he  began  to  tap 
out  the  ash  and  half -smoked  tobacco  from  his  pipe. 

"  H'm — guess  you'd  better  work  in  a  room  apart," 
he  remarked  in  a  matter-of-fact  tone.  "  Too  much 
running  in  and  out  here.  D'  you  want  to  start  right 
off?" 

"  No,"  muttered  Blake.  He  paused  and  then 
straightened  to  face  his  friend.  His  eyes  were  blood- 
shot but  resolute,  his  face  impassive.  "  No.  I  '11  wait 
till  after  to-morrow.  Big  order  on  for  to-morrow  morn- 
ing. Appointment  to  meet  H.  V." 


THE     HERO     EXPLAINS  79 

"Hey?" 

"  He  was  down  at  the  depot.  You  can  imagine  how 
effusive  he  was  n't  over  my  saving  his  daughter.  Curse 
the  luck!  If  only  she  had  had  any  one  else  for  a 
father!" 

"  Now,  now,  Tommy,  don't  fly  off  the  handle.  You 
know  there  are  lots  of  'em  worse  than  H.  V." 

"  None  I  'm  in  so  hard  with.  First  place,  there  '& 
that  Q.  T.  survey." 

"  That 's  all  smoothed  over.  He  came  around  all 
right.  Just  ask  for  your  pay-check.  He  '11  shell  out." 

"  I  '11  ask  for  interest.  Ought  to  have  a  hundred  per 
cent.  I  needed  the  money  then  mighty  bad." 

"  We  all  did.  Let  it  slide.  He  's  her  father.  You 
can't  afford  to  buck  his  game." 

"  I  'd  do  it  quick  enough  if  it  was  n't  for  her,"  re- 
joined Blake.  "That's  where  he's  got  me.  Lord!  if 
only  he  and  she  were  n't  — !  "  Blake's  teeth  clenched 
on  the  end  of  the  sentence. 

"  Now  look  here,  Tommy,"  protested  Griffith.  "  This 
is  n't  like  you  to  hold  a  grudge.  It 's  true  H.  V.  did  us 
dirt  on  the  survey  pay.  But  he  gave  in,  soon  as  I  got 
a  chance  to  talk  it  over  with  him." 

"  'Cause  he  had  to  have  you  on  the  Michamac  Bridge, 
eh?  "  demanded  Blake,  his  face  darkening. 

"  Stow  it !  That  may  be  true,  but  —  did  n't  I  tell  you 
he  turned  the  bridge  over  to  the  Coville  Company  ?  " 

"  Afraid  he  'd  be  found  out,  eh?  " 

"  Found  out  ?     What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  Mean ! "  repeated  Blake,  his  voice  hoarse  with  pas- 


80  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

sion.  He  brought  his  big  fist  down  upon  the  desk  with 
the  thud  of  a  maul.  "  Mean  ?  Listen  here !  I  did  n't 
write  it  to  you  —  I  could  n't  believe  it  then,  even  of  him. 
But  answer  me  this,  if  you  can.  I  was  fool  enough  not 
to  send  my  plans  for  the  bridge  competition  to  him  by 
registered  mail;  I  was  fool  enough  to  hand  them  in  to 
his  secretary  without  asking  a  receipt.  After  the  con- 
test, I  called  for  my  plans.  Clerk  told  me  he  could  n't 
find  them ;  could  n't  find  any  record  that  they  'd  been 
received.  I  tell  you  my  plans  solved  that  central  span 
problem.  Who  was  it  could  use  my  plans  ?  —  who  were 
they  worth  a  mint  of  money  to  ?  " 

Griffith  stared  at  his  friend,  his  forehead  furrowed 
with  an  anxious  frown.  "  See  here,  Tom  —  this  trop- 
ical roughing-it  must  be  mighty  overtaxing  on  a 
man.  You  did  n't  happen  to  have  a  sunstroke 
or—" 

Blake's  scowl  relaxed  in  an  ironical  grin.  "  All  right, 
take  it  that  way,  if  you  want  to.  He  let  on  he  thought 
I  was  trying  to  blackmail  him." 

"  Crickey !     You  don't  mean  to  say  you  — " 

"  Did  n't  get  a  chance  to  see  him  that  time.  Just 
sent  in  a  polite  note  asking  for  my  plans.  He  sent 
out  word  by  his  private-detective  office-boy  that  if  I 
called  again  he  'd  have  me  run  in." 

"  And  now  you  come  back  with  this  dotty  pipe-dream 
that  he  knows  what  became  of  your  plans!  Take  my 
advice.  Think  it  all  you  want,  if  that  does  you  any 
good ;  but  keep  your  head  closed  —  keep  it  closed ! 
First  thing  he  'd  do  would  be  to  look  up  the  phone 
number  of  the  nearest  asylum." 


THE     HERO     EXPLAINS  81 

"  I  'd  like  to  see  him  do  it,"  replied  Blake.  He  shook 
his  head  dubiously.  "  That 's  straight,  Grif.  I  'd  like 
to  see  him  do  it.  I  can't  forget  he  's  her  father.  If 
only  I  could  be  sure  he  had  n't  a  finger  in  the  disappear- 
ance of  those  plans  —  Well,  you  can  guess  how  I  feel 
about  it." 

"  You  're  dotty  to  think  it  a  minute.  He  's  a  money- 
grubber  —  as  sharp  as  some  others.  But  he  would  n't 
do  a  thing  like  that.  Don't  you  believe  it !  " 

"  Wish  I  'd  never  thought  of  it  —  he  's  her  father. 
But  it 's  been  growing  on  me.  I  handed  them  in  to  his 
secretary,  that  young  dude,  Ashton." 

"  Ashton?  There  you've  hit  on  a  probability,"  ar- 
gued Griffith.  "  Of  all  the  heedless,  inefficient  papa's 
boys,  he  takes  the  cake !  He  was  n't  H.  V.'s  secretary 
except  in  name.  Wine,  women,  sports,  and  gambling 
—  nothing  else  under  his  hat.  Always  had  a  mess  on 
his  desk.  Ten  to  one,  he  got  your  package  mixed  in 
the  litter,  and  shoved  all  together  into  his  wastebasket." 

"  I  '11  put  it  up  to  him !  "  growled  Blake. 

"  What 's  the  use  ?  He  could  n't  remember  a  matter 
of  business  over  night,  to  save  him." 

"  Lord !  I  sweat  blood  over  those  plans !  It  was 
hard  enough  to  enter  a  competition  put  up  by  H.  V., 
but  it  was  the  chance  of  a  lifetime  for  me.  Why,  if 
only  I  'd  known  in  time  that  they  were  lost,  I  'd  have 
put  in  my  scratch  drawings  and  won  on  them.  I  tell 
you,  Grif,  that  truss  was  something  new." 

"  Oh,  no,  there 's  no  inventiveness,  no  brains  in  your 
head,  oh,  no !  "  rallied  Griffith.  "  Wait  till  you  make 
good  on  this  Zariba  Dam." 


82  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"You  just  bet  I'll  make  a  stagger  at  it!"  cried 
Blake.  His  eyes  shone  bright  with  the  joy  of  work, 
—  and  as  suddenly  clouded  with  renewed  moroseness. 

"  I  '11  be  working  for  you,  though,"  he  qualified.  "  I 
don't  take  any  jobs  from  H.  V.  Leslie  —  not  until  that 
matter  of  the  bridge  plans  is  cleared  up." 


AT  three  minutes  to  ten  the  following  morn- 
ing Blake  entered  the  doorway  of  the  mam- 
moth International  Industrial  Company 
Building.  At  one  minute  to  ten  he  was  facing  the 
outermost  of  the  guards  who  fenced  in  the  private  office 
of  H.  V.  Leslie,  capitalist. 

"  Your  business,  sir?     Mr.  Leslie  is  very  busy,  sir.'* 

"  He  told  me  to  call  this  morning,"  explained  Blake. 

"  Step  in,  sir,  please." 

Blake  entered,  and  found  himself  in  a  well-remem- 
bered waiting-room,  in  company  with  a  dozen  or  more 
visitors.  He  swung  leisurely  across  to  the  second  uni- 
formed doorkeeper. 

"  Business  ? "  demanded  this  attendant  with  a 
brusqueness  due  perhaps  to  his  closer  proximity  to  the 
great  man. 

Blake  answered  without  the  flicker  of  a  smile :  "  I  'm 
a  civil  engineer,  if  you  want  to  know." 

"  Your  business  here?  " 

"  None  that  concerns  you,"  rejoined  Blake. 

His  eyes  fixed  upon  the  man  with  a  cold  steely  glint 
that  visibly  disconcerted  him.  But  the  fellow  had  been 
in  training  for  years.  He  replied  promptly,  though  in 

83 


84  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

a  more  civil  tone :  "  If  you  do  not  wish  to  state  your 
business  to  me,  sir,  you  '11  have  to  wait  until  — " 

"  No,  I  won't  have  to  wait  until,"  put  in  Blake. 
"  Your  boss  told  me  to  call  at  ten  sharp." 

"  In  that  case,  of  course  —     Your  name,  please." 

"  Blake." 

The  man  slipped  inside,  closing  the  door  behind  him. 
He  was  gone  perhaps  a  quarter  of  a  minute.  When  he 
reappeared,  he  held  the  door  half  open  for  Blake. 

"  Step  in,  sir,"  he  said.  "  Mr.  Leslie  can  spare  you 
fifteen  minutes." 

Blake  looked  the  man  up  and  down  coolly.  "  See 
here,"  he  replied,  "  just  you  trot  back  and  tell  Mr.  H. 
V.  Leslie  I  'm  much  obliged  for  his  favoring  me  with  an 
appointment,  but  long  as  he  's  so  rushed,  I  '11  make  him 
a  present  of  his  blessed  quarter-hour." 

"  My  land,  sir !  "  gasped  the  doorkeeper.  "  I  can't 
take  such  a  message  to  him!  " 

"  Suit  yourself,"  said  Blake,  deliberately  drawing  a 
cigar  from  his  vest  pocket  and  biting  off  the  tip. 

This  time  the  man  was  gone  a  full  half -minute.  He 
eyed  Blake  with  respectful  curiosity  as  he  swung  the 
door  wide  open  and  announced :  "  Mr.  Leslie  asks  you 
to  come  in,  sir." 

As  the  door  closed  softly  behind  him,  Blake  stared 
around  the  bare  little  room  into  which  he  had  been 
shown.  He  was  looking  for  the  third  guardian  of  the 
sanctum, —  the  great  man's  private  secretary.  But 
the  room  was  empty.  Without  pausing,  he  crossed 
to  the  door  in  the  side  wall  and  walked  aggressively  into 
the  private  office  of  Genevieve's  father. 


FLINT     AND     STEEL  85 

Mr.  Leslie  sat  at  a  neat  little  desk,  hurriedly  mum- 
bling into  the  trumpet  of  a  small  phonograph. 

"  Moment ! "  he  flung  out  sideways,  and  went  on  with 
his  mumbling. 

Blake  swung  around  one  of  the  heavy  leather-seated 
chairs  with  a  twist  of  his  wrist,  and  drew  out  a  silver 
matchsafe.  As  he  took  out  a  match,  Mr.  Leslie  touched 
a  spring  that  stopped  the  whirring  mechanism  of  the 
phonograph,  and  wheeled  around  in  his  swivel  desk- 
chair. 

"  Dictate  on  wax,"  he  explained.  "  Cuts  out  ste- 
nographer. Any  clerk  can  typewrite.  No  mislaid 
stenographer's  notes  ;  no  mistakes.  Well,  you  're  nearly 
on  time." 

"  Sharp  at  the  door,  according  to  your  waiting-room 
clock,"  said  Blake,  striking  the  match  on  his  heel. 

"  Good  —  punctuality.  First  point  you  score. 
Now,  what  do  you  expect  to  get  out  of  me?  " 

Blake  held  the  match  to  his  cigar  with  deliberate  care, 
blew  it  out,  and  flipped  it  into  the  wastebasket,  with  the 
terse  answer :  "  Just  that  much." 

The  other's  bushy  eyebrows  came  down  over  the  keen 
eyes.  For  a  full  minute  the  two  stared,  the  man  of 
business  seeking  to  pierce  with  his  narrowed  glance 
Blake's  hard,  open  gaze.  The  failure  of  his  attempt 
perhaps  irritated  him  beyond  discretion.  At  any  rate, 
his  silent  antagonism  burst  out  in  an  explosion  of 
irascibility. 

"  Need  n't  tell  me  your  game,  young  man ! "  he 
rasped.  "  You  think,  because  you  were  alone  with  my 
daughter,  you  can  force  me  to  pay  hush  money." 


86  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

Blake  rose  to  his  feet  with  a  look  in  his  eyes  before 
which  Mr.  Leslie  shrank  back  and  cringed. 

"  Wait !  Sit  down !  sit  down !  I  —  I  did  n't  mean 
that !  "  he  exclaimed. 

Blake  drew  in  a  deep  breath  and  slowly  sat  down 
again.  He  said  nothing,  but  puffed  hard  at  his  cigar. 

Mr.  Leslie  rebounded  from  panic  to  renewed  irasci- 
bility. "  H'm  1  So  you  're  one  of  that  sort.  I  might 
have  foreseen  it." 

Blake  looked  his  indifference.  "  All  right.  That 's 
the  safety-valve.  Blow  off  all  the  steam  you  want  to 
through  it.  Only  don't  try  the  other  again.  You  're 
her  father,  and  that  gives  you  a  big  vantage.  Any  one 
else  have  said  what  you  did,  he  would  n't  have  had  the 
chance  to  take  it  back." 

"  Do  you  mean  to  threaten  me?  " 

*'  I  *ve  smashed  men  for  less." 

"  You  look  the  part." 

"  It 's  not  the  part  of  a  lickspittle." 

"  Look  here,  young  man.  As  the  man  who  happened 
to  save  the  life  of  my  daughter  — " 

"  Suppose  we  leave  her  out  of  this  palaver,"  sug- 
gested Blake. 

"  Unfortunately,  that  is  impossible.  It  is  solely 
owing  to  the  obligations  under  which  your  service  to  her 
have  put  me  that  I  — " 

"  That  you  're  willing  to  let  me  come  in  here  and 
listen  to  your  pleasant  conversation,"  broke  in  Blake 
ironically.  "  Well,  let  me  tell  you,  I  Jm  some  busy 
myself  these  days.  Just  now  I  'm  out  collecting  one  of 


FLINT     AND     STEEL  87 

your  past-due  obligations.  I  've  heard  you  admit  you 
owe  for  that  first  Q.  T.  Railroad  survey." 

"  There  was  no  legal  claim  on  me.  I  conceded  the 
point  at  the  request  of  Mr.  Griffith." 

"  Had  to  hire  him,  eh?  Best  consulting  engineer  in 
the  city.  And  he  held  out  for  a  settlement,"  rallied 
Blake. 

"  You  were  one  of  the  party  ?  " 

"  Transitman." 

"  Then  apply  to  my  auditor.  He  has  your  pay- 
check waiting  for  you." 

"  How  about  interest?     It 's  two  years  over-due." 

"  I  never  allow  interest  on  such  accounts." 

Blake  took  out  his  cigar  and  looked  at  his  antagonist, 
his  jaw  out-thrust.  "  If  I  had  a  million,  I  would  n't 
mind  spending  it  to  make  you  pay  that  interest." 

"  You  could  spend  twice  that,  and  then  not  get  it," 
snapped  Mr.  Leslie.  "  You  '11  soon  find  out  I  can't  be 
driven,  young  man.  On  the  other  hand  —  how  big  a 
position  do  you  think  you  could  fill?  " 

"  Quien  sabe?  " 

"  See  here.  You  've  put  me  under  obligations.  I  'd 
rather  it  had  been  any  other  man  than  you  — " 

"  Ditto  on  you !  "  rejoined  Blake. 

The  blow  struck  a  shower  of  flinty  sparks  from  Mr. 
Leslie's  narrowed  eyes. 

"  You  '11  do  well  to  be  more  conciliatory,  young  man," 
he  warned. 

"Conciliatory?     Bah! " 

"  Did  n't  take  you  for  a  fool." 


88  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  Well,  you  won't  take  me  in  for  one,"  countered 
Blake. 

"  You  seem  determined  to  hurt  your  own  interests. 
Unfortunately  you  've  put  me  in  your  debt  —  an  obli- 
gation I  must  pay  in  full." 

"  Why  not  get  a  receiver  appointed,  and  reorgan- 
ize ? "  gibed  Blake.  "  That 's  one  of  the  ways  you 
dodge  obligations,  is  n't  it?  " 

Mr.  Leslie's  wrinkled  face  quickly  turned  red,  and 
from  red  to  purple.  He  thrust  a  quivering  finger 
against  a  push-button.  Blake  grinned  exultantly  and 
picked  up  his  hat. 

"  Don't  bother  your  bouncer,"  he  remarked  in  a 
cheerful  tone.  "  I  don't  need  any  invitation  to  leave." 

The  tall  doorkeeper  stepped  alertly  into  the  room, 
but  turned  back  on  the  instant  at  sight  of  his  master's 
repellent  gesture. 

"  Mistake,"  snapped  Mr.  Leslie,  and  as  the  man  dis- 
appeared, he  turned  to  Blake.  "  Wait  1  Don't  go 
yet." 

Blake  was  rising  to  his  feet.  He  paused,  considered, 
and  resumed  his  seat.  Mr.  Leslie  had  regained  his 
normal  color  and  his  composure.  He  put  his  finger- 
tips together,  and  jerked  out  in  his  usual  incisive  tone: 
"  I  propose  to  liquidate  this  obligation  to  you  without 
delay.  Would  you  prefer  a  cash  payment?  " 

"  No."  Again  Blake  set  his  jaw.  "  You  could  n't 
settle  with  me  for  cash,  not  even  if  you  overdrew  your 
bank  account." 

"  Nonsense !  "   snapped  Mr.  Leslie.     He  studied  the 


FLINT     AND     STEEL  89 

young  man's  resolute  face,  and  asked  impatiently, 
"Well  — what?" 

"  Can't  you  get  it  into  your  head?  "  rejoined  Blake. 
"  I  'm  not  asking  for  any  pay  for  what  I  did." 

"What,  then?  If  not  a  money  reward —  I  see. 
You  're  perhaps  ambitious.  You  want  to  make  a  name 
in  your  profession." 

"  Ever  know  an  engineer  that  did  n't?  " 

"  I  see.     I  '11  arrange  to  give  you  a  position  that  — " 

"  Thanks,"  broke  in  Blake  dryly.  "  Wait  till  I  ask 
you  for  a  j  ob." 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do  ?  —  loaf  ?  " 

"  That 's  my  business." 

Mr.  Leslie  again  studied  Blake's  face.  Though  ac- 
customed to  read  men  at  a  glance,  he  was  baffled  by  the 
engineer's  inscrutable  calm. 

"  You  nearly  always  win  at  poker,"  he  stated. 

"  Used  to,"  confirmed  Blake.  "  Cut  it  out,  though. 
A  gambler  is  a  fool.  More  fun  in  a  nickel  earned  than 
a  dollar  made  at  play  or  speculating." 

"  So !     You  're  one  of  these  socialist  cranks." 

Blake  laughed  outright.  "  It 's  the  cranks  that  make 
the  world  go  'round !  No ;  I  've  been  too  busy  boost- 
ing for  Number  One  —  like  you  —  to  let  myself  think 
of  the  other  fellow.  The  trouble  with  that  crazy  out- 
fit is  they  want  to  set  you  to  working  for  the  people, 
instead  of  working  the  people.  No ;  I  've  steered  clear 
of  them.  'Fraid  I  might  get  infected  with  altruism. 
Like  you,  I  'm  a  born  anarchist  —  excuse  me !  - —  indi- 
vidualist. What  would  become  of  those  who  have  the 


90  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

big  interests  of  the  country  at  heart  if  they  did  n't  have 
the  big  interests  in  hand?  " 

Mr.  Leslie  ignored  the  sarcasm.  "  Either  you  're  a 
fool,  or  you  're  playing  a  deep  game.  It  occurs  to  me 
you  may  have  heard  that  my  daughter  has  money  in  her 
own  right." 

"  Three  million,  she  said,"  assented  Blake. 
"  She  told  you !  " 

"  Guess  she  told  me  more  than  she  seems  to  have  told 
you." 

"About  what?" 
"  Ask  her." 

Mr.  Leslie's  eyes  narrowed  to  thin  slits.  "  Her  aunt 
wrote  me  that  she  suspected  you  had  the  effrontery  to 
—  aspire  to  my  daughter's  hand.  I  could  n't  believe 
it  possible." 

"  That  so  ?  "  said  Blake  with  calm  indifference. 
Mr.    Leslie    started    as   though   stung.     "  It 's    true, 
then !     You  —  you !  — "     He  choked  with  rage. 

"  I  thought  that  would  reach  you,"  commented 
Blake. 

"  You  rascal !  you  blackguard ! "  spluttered  Mr.  Les- 
lie. "So  that 's  your  game  ?  You  know  she 's  an 
heiress  !  Think  you  have  the  whip-handle  —  bleed  me 
or  force  her  to  marry  you !  —  Alone  with  her  after  the 
other  man  — !  You  —  you  scoundrel !  you  blackguard ! 
I'll—  " 

"  Shut  up ! "  commanded  Blake,  his  voice  low-pitched 
and  hoarse,  his  face  white  to  the  lips.  For  the  second 
time  during  the  interview  Mr.  Leslie  cringed  before  his 
look.  His  pale  eyes  were  like  balls  of  white-hot  steel. 


FLINT     AND     STEEL  91 

Slowly  the  glare  faded  from  Blake's  eyes,  and  the 
color  returned  to  his  bronzed  face.  He  relaxed  his 
fists. 

"God!"  he  whispered  huskily.  "God!  .  .  . 
But  you  're  her  father !  " 

Something  in  his  tone  compelled  conviction,  despite 
Mr.  Leslie's  bitter  prejudice.  He  jerked  out  reluc- 
tantly :  "  I  'm  not  so  sure  —  perhaps  I  spoke  too  — 
too  hastily.  But  —  the  indications  — " 

"  Need  n't  try  to  apologize,"  growled  Blake. 

"  I  '11  not  —  in  words.  How  about  a  twenty-five- 
thousand-dollar  position?  " 

"  What?  "  demanded  Blake,  astonished. 

"  That,  as  a  beginning.  If  you  prove  yourself  the 
kind  of  man  I  think  you  are, —  the  kind  that  can  learn 
to  run  a  railroad  system, —  I  '11  push  you  up  the  line 
to  a  hundred  thousand,  besides  chances  to  come  in  on 
stock  deals  with  George  Ashton  and  myself." 

"  But  if  you  think  I  'm  a  — " 

"  You  're  the  only  man  that  ever  outfaced  me  in  my 
own  office.  I  '11  chance  the  rest, —  though  I  had  your 
record  looked  up  as  soon  as  your  name  was  cabled  to  me. 
I  know  not  only  who  you  are  but  what  you  are." 

Blake  bent  forward,  frowning.  "  I  've  stood  about 
enough  of  this." 

"  Wait,"  said  Mr.  Leslie.  "  I  'm  not  going  to  drag 
that  in.  I  mention  it  only  that  you  will  understand 
without  argument  why  my  offer  is  based  on  the  condi- 
tion that  you  at  once  and  for  all  time  give  over  your 
ridiculous  idea  of  becoming  my  son-in-law." 

"  You  —  mean  —  that  —  ?  " 


92  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  That  I  'd  rather  see  my  daughter  in  her  grave  than 
married  to  you.  Is  that  plain  enough  ?  You  're  a  good 
engineer  —  when  you  're  not  a  drunkard" 

For  a  moment  Blake  sat  tense  and  silent.  Then  he 
replied  steadily :  "  I  have  n't  touched  a  drop  of  drink 
since  that  steamer  piled  up  on  that  coral  reef." 

"  Three  months,  at  the  outside,"  rejoined  Mr.  Leslie. 
"  You  've  been  known  to  go  half  a  year.  But  al- 
ways — " 

"  Yes,  always  before  this  try,"  said  Blake.  "  It 's 
different,  though,  now,  with  the  backing  of  two  such  — 
ladies ! " 

"  Two  ?  "  queried  Mr.  Leslie  sharply. 

"  One  's  dead,"  replied  Blake  with  simple  gravity. 

"  H'm.  I  —  it 's  possible  I  've  misjudged  you  in 
some  things.  But  this  question  of  drink  —  I  '11  risk 
backing  you  in  a  business  way,  if  it  costs  me  a  million. 
I  owe  you  that  much.  But  I  won't  risk  my  daughter's 
happiness  —  supposing  you  had  so  much  as  a  shadow  of 
a  chance  of  winning  her.  No !  You  saved  her  life. 
You  shall  have  no  chance  whatever  to  make  her  misera- 
ble. But  I  '11  give  you  opportunities  —  I  '11  put  you 
on  the  road  to  making  your  own  millions." 

Blake  raised  his  cigar  and  flecked  off  the  ash.  "  That 
for  your  damned  millions  !  "  he  swore. 

Mr.  Leslie  stared  and  muttered  to  himself :  "  Might 
have  known  it !  Man  of  that  kind.  Crazy  fool !  " 

"  Fool?  "  repeated  Blake  contemptuously.  "  Just 
because  money  is  your  god,  you  need  n't  think  it 's 
everybody  else's.  You  —  money  —  hog!  You  think 
I  'd  sell  out  my  chance  of  winning  her!  " 


FLINT     AND     STEEL  93 

"  You  have  no  chance,  sir !  The  thought  of  such  a 
thing  is  absurd  —  ridiculous !  " 

"Well,  then,  why  don't  you  laugh?  No;  you  hear 
me.  If  I  knew  I  did  n't  have  one  chance  in  a  million, 
I  'd  tell  you  to  take  your  offer  and  — " 

"  Now,  now !  make  no  rash  statements.  I  'm  offering 
you,  to  begin  with,  a  twenty-five-thousand-dollar  posi- 
tion, and  your  chance  to  acquire  a  fortune,  if  you — " 

Blake's  smouldering  anger  flared  out  in  white  heat. 
"  Think  you  can  bribe  me,  do  you?  Well,  you  can  just 
take  your  positions  and  your  dollars,  and  go  clean, 
plumb  to  hell!" 

"That  will  do,  sir!  — that  will  do!"  gasped  Mr. 
Leslie,  shocked  almost  beyond  speech. 

"  No,  it  won't  do,  Mr.  H.  V.  Leslie ! "  retorted  Blake. 
"  I  'm  not  one  of  your  employees,  to  throw  a  fit  when 
you  put  on  the  heavy  pedal,  and  I  'm  not  one  of  the 
lickspittles  that  are  always  baa-ing  around  the  Golden 
Calf.  You  've  had  your  say.  Now  I  '11  have  mine. 
To  begin  with,  let  me  tell  you,  I  don't  need  your  posi- 
tions or  your  money.  Griffith  has  given  me  work. 
I  'm  working  for  him,  not  you.  Understand?  " 

"  You  are?     He's  my  consulting  engineer." 

"  That  cuts  no  ice.  I  'm  doing  some  work  for  him  — 
for  him;  understand?  It 's  not  for  you.  He  gave 
me  the  job  —  not  you.  After  what  you  've  said  to  me 
here,  I  wouldn't  take  a  Awrafmf-thousand-dollar  job 
from  you,  not  if  I  was  walking  around  on  my  uppers. 
Understand?  " 

"But  —  but— " 

Blake's  anger  burst  out  in  volcanic  rage.     "  That 's 


94  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

it,  straight!  I  don't  want  your  jobs  or  your  money. 
They  're  dirty !  You  've  looked  up  my  record,  have 
you?  How  about  your  own?  How  about  the 
Michamac  Bridge?  Griffith  says  the  Coville  Company 
has  taken  it  over;  but  you  started  it  —  you  called  for 
plans  —  you  advertised  a  competition.  Where  are  my 
plans  ?  —  you !  " 

Mr.  Leslie  shrank  back  before  the  enraged  engineer. 

"  Calm  yourself,  Mr.  Blake !  "  he  soothed  in  a  quaver- 
ing voice.  "  Calm  yourself !  This  illusion  of  yours 
about  lost  plans  — " 

"  Illusion  ?  "  cried  Blake.  "  When  I  handed  them  in 
myself  to  your  secretary  —  that  dude,  Ashton." 

Mr.  Leslie  sat  up,  keenly  alert.  "  To  him?  You 
say  you  handed  in  a  set  of  bridge  plans  to  my  former 
secretary  ?  " 

"  He  was  n't  a  former  secretary  then." 

"  To  young  Ashton,  at  that  time  my  secretary. 
Where  was  it?  " 

"  In  there,"  muttered  Blake,  jerking  his  thumb 
towards  the  empty  anteroom.  "  I  had  to  butt  in  to 
get  even  that  far." 

"  Why  did  n't  you  show  your  receipt  when  you  ap- 
plied for  your  plans?  " 

"  Had  n't  a  receipt." 

"  You  did  n't  take  a  receipt?  " 

"  And  after  that  Q.  T.  survey,  too ! "  thrust  Blake. 
"  I  sure  did  play  the  fool,  did  n't  I  ?  But  I  was  all  up 
in  the  air  over  the  way  I  had  worked  out  that  central 
span,  and  didn't  think  of  anything  but  the  committee 


FLINT     AND     STEEL  95 

you  'd  appointed  to  pass  on  the  competing  plans. 
Those  judges  were  all  right.  I  knew  they  'd  be  square." 

"  Sure  you  had  any  plans?  Where's  your  proof?  " 
demanded  Mr.  Leslie  with  a  shrewdness  that  won  a  sar- 
castic grin  from  Blake. 

"  Don't  fash  yourself,"  he  jeered.  "  You  *re  safe  — 
legally.  Of  course  my  scratch  copy  of  them  went 
down  in  the  steamer.  The  fact  I  wrote  Griffith  about 
them  before  the  contest  would  n't  cut  any  ice  —  with 
your  lawyers  across  the  table  from  any  I  could  afford 
to  hire." 

"  Griffith  knows  about  your  plans  ?  " 

"  Did  n't  get  a  chance  to  show  them  to  him.  All 
he  knows  is  I  wrote  him  I  was  drawing  them  to  compete 
for  the  bridge  —  which  of  course  was  part  of  my  plan 
to  blackmail  you,"  gibed  Blake.  He  rose,  with  a  look 
that  was  almost  good-humored.  "  Well,  guess  we  're 
through  swapping  compliments.  I  won't  take  up  any 
of  your  valuable  time  discussing  the  weather." 

With  shrewd  eyes  blinking  uneasily  under  their 
shaggy  brows,  Mr.  Leslie  watched  his  visitor  cross 
towards  the  door.  The  engineer  walked  firmly  and 
resolutely,  with  his  head  well  up,  yet  without  any  trace 
of  swagger  or  bravado. 

As  he  reached  for  the  doorknob,  Mr.  Leslie  bent  for- 
ward and  called  in  an  irritable  tone :  "  Wait !  I  want 
to  tell  you  — " 

"Excuse  me!  My  time's  too  valuable,"  rejoined 
Blake,  and  he  swung  out  of  the  room. 

Mr.  Leslie  sat  for  a  few  moments  with  his  forehead 


96  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

creased  in  intent  thought.  He  roused,  to  touch  a  but- 
ton with  an  incisive  thrust  of  his  finger.  To  the  clerk 
who  came  hastening  in  he  ordered  tersely :  "  Phone 
Griffith  —  appointment  nine-fifteen  to-morrow.  Im- 
portant." 


CHAPTER  IX 


ABOUT  three  o'clock  of  the  same  day  a  smart 
electric  coupe  whirled  up  Lake  Shore  Drive 
under  a  rattling  fusillade  of  sleet  from  over 
the  lake.  At  the  entrance  of  the  grounds  of  the  Leslie 
mansion  it  curved  around  and  shot  in  under  the  porte 
cochere. 

A  footman  in  the  quiet  dark  green  and  black  of  the 
Leslie  livery  sprang  out  to  open  the  coupe  door,  while 
the  footman  with  the  coupe,  whose  livery  was  not  so 
quiet,  swung  down  to  hand  out  the  occupants.  Before 
the  servant  could  offer  his  services,  Dolores  Gantry 
darted  out  past  him  and  in  through  the  welcome  doorway 
of  the  side  entrance.  Her  mother  followed  with  stately 
leisure,  regardless  of  a  wind-flung  dash  of  sleet  on  her 
sealskins. 

Having  been  relieved  of  their  furs,  the  callers  were 
shown  to  the  drawing-room.  As  the  footman  glided 
away  to  inform  his  mistress  of  their  arrival,  Dolores 
danced  across  to  the  door  of  the  rear  drawing-room  and 
called  in  a  clear,  full-throated,  contralto  voice :  "  Ho, 
Vievie !  Vievie !  You  in  here  ?  Hurry  up  1  There  's 
something  I  do  so  want  to  tell  you." 

Mrs.  Gantry  paused  in  the  act  of  seating  herself. 
*  97 


98  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"Dolores!  Why  must  you  shriek  out  like  a  magpie? 
Will  you  never  forget  you  're  a  tomboy  ?  " 

"  I  Jm  not,  mamma.  I  'm  simply  acting  as  if  I  were 
one.  You  forget  I  'm  a  full-blown  debutante.  Vievie 
has  already  promised  me  a  ball." 

"  Behave  yourself,  if  you  wish  to  attend  it." 

Dolores  jumped  to  a  chair  and  sank  into  it  with  an 
air  of  elegant  languor.  "  Yes,  mamma.  This  —  ah 
—  driving  in  moist  weather  is  so  fatiguing,  don't  you 
find  it?  " 

Mrs.  Gantry  disposed  herself  upon  the  comfortable 
seat  that  she  had  selected,  and  raised  her  gold  lorgnette. 
"  Do  not  forget  that  the  ball  Genevieve  has  so  gener- 
ously promised  you  is  to  be  honored  by  the  presence  — " 

"  Of  a  real  live  earl  and  a  real  hero,  with  Laffie  Ashton 
thrown  in  for  good  —  I  mean,  bad  —  measure !  "  cut 
in  Dolores  with  enthusiasm.  "  You  know,  I  asked 
Vievie  to  *  put  him  on  her  list,  else  he  never  may  be 
kissed!'" 

Again  Mrs.  Gantry  raised  her  lorgnette  to  transfix 
her  daughter  with  her  cold  stare.  "  You  asked  her  to 
invite  Lafayette  Ashton?  And  you  know  his  reputa- 
tion!" 

"  Of  course.  But  you  must  n't  ask  for  the  details, 
mamma,"  reproved  the  girl.  "  It 's  best  that  you  should 
not  become  aware  of  such  things,  my  dear.  Only,  you 
know,  '  boys  will  be  boys,'  and  we  must  not  lose  sight 
of  the  fact  that  poor  dear  Laffie  will  be  worth  twenty 
millions  some  day  —  if  his  papa  does  n't  make  a  will. 
Besides,  he  dances  divinely.  Of  course  Earl  Jimmy's 


PLAYS     FOR     POSITION  99 

mustache  is  simply  too  cute  for  anything,  but,  alas ! 
unless  Vievie  clings  to  her  heroic  Tommy  — " 

"Tommyrot!"  sniffed  Mrs.  Gantry.  "The  pre- 
sumption of  that  low  fellow  1  To  think  of  his  follow- 
ing her  to  America  1 " 

"  You  should  have  forewarned  the  authorities  at 
Ellis  Island,  and  had  him  excluded  as  dangerous  —  to 
your  plans." 

"  No  more  of  this  frivolity !  I  've  confided  to  you 
that  that  man  is  dangerous  to  Genevieve's  happiness. 
I  '11  not  permit  it.  What  a  fortunate  chance  that  the 
earl  came  with  him!  I  shall  see  to  it  that  Genevieve 
becomes  a  countess." 

Dolores  pulled  a  mock-tragic  face.  "  Oh,  mamma," 
she  implored,  "  why  don't  you  root  for  me,  instead  ? 
I  'm  sure  a  coronet  would  fit  me  to  perfection,  and  his 
mustache  is  so  cute !  " 

To  judge  by  Mrs.  Gantry's  expression,  it  was  for- 
tunate for  her  daughter  that  Genevieve  came  in  upon 
them.  Dolores  divined  this  last  from  the  sudden  mel- 
lowing of  her  mother's  face.  She  whirled  up  out  of 
her  chair  and  around,  with  a  cry  of  joyous  escape: 
"  Oh,  Vievie !  You  're  just  in  time  to  save  me !  " 

"  From  what,  dear?  "  asked  Genevieve,  smilingly  per- 
mitting herself  to  be  crumpled  in  an  impetuous  embrace. 

"  Mamma  was  just  going  to  run  the  steam-roller 
over  me,  simply  because  I  said  Jimmy's  mustache  is 
cute.  It  is  cute,  is  n't  it  ?  " 

"  l  Jimmy '  ? "  inquired  Genevieve,  moving  to  a 
chair  beside  Mrs.  Gantry. 


100         OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  His  honorable  earlship,  then  —  since  mamma  is  with 
us." 

"  You  may  leave  the  room,"  said  her  mother. 

"  I  may,"  repeated  the  girl.  She  pirouetted  up  the 
room  and  stopped  to  look  at  a  painting  of  a  desolate 
tropical  coast. 

"  It 's  such  a  dreadful  day  out,  Aunt  Amice,"  said 
Genevieve.  "  And  you  can't  be  rested  from  the  trip." 

"  Quite  true,  my  dear,"  agreed  Mrs.  Gantry.  "  But 
I  had  to  see  you  —  to  talk  matters  over  with  you.  I 
did  not  wish  to  break  in  on  your  enjoyment  of  those 
delightful  English  house  parties ;  and  crossing  over, 
you  know,  I  was  too  wretchedly  ill  to  think  of  anything. 
Can  I  never  get  accustomed  to  the  sea !  " 

"  It  Js  so  unfortunate,"  condoled  Genevieve.  "  I  be- 
lieve I  'm  a  born  sailor." 

"  You  proved  it,  starting  off  with  that  globe-trotting 
Lady  Bayrose." 

"  Poor  Lady  Bayrose  I  To  think  that  she  — "  The 
girl  pressed  her  hands  to  her  eyes.  "  The  way  that 
frightful  breaker  whirled  the  boat  loose  and  over  and 
over !  —  and  the  water  swarming  with  sharks ! " 

"  Do  not  think  of  it,  my  dear !  Really,  you  must  not 
think  of  it!"  urged  Mrs.  Gantry.  "Be  thankful  it 
happened  before  the  sailors  had  time  to  put  you  in  the 
same  boat.  Better  still,  my  dear,  do  not  permit  your- 
self to  think  of  it  at  all.  Put  all  that  dreadful  ex- 
perience out  of  your  mind." 

"  But  you  do  not  understand,  Aunt  Amice.  I  fear 
you  never  will.  Except  for  that  —  for  poor  Lady 
Bayrose  —  I  've  told  you,  I  do  not  wish  to  forget  it." 


PLAYS     FOR     POSITION  101 

"  My  dear !  "  protested  Mrs.  Gantry,  "  cannot  you 
realize  how  very  improper  —  ?  That  man  1  What  if 
he  should  talk?  " 

"  Is  there  anything  to  be  concealed?  "  asked  Gene- 
vieve,  with  quiet  dignity. 

"  You  know  how  people  misconstrue  things,"  in- 
sisted her  aunt.  "  That  newspaper  notoriety  was  quite 
sufficiently  —  It 's  most  fortunate  that  Lord  Avon- 
dale  is  not  affected.  I  must  admit,  his  attitude  towards 
that  man  puzzles  me." 

"  I  can  understand  it  very  well,"  replied  Genevieve, 
firmly. 

"  You  both  insist  that  the  fellow  is  —  is  not  abso- 
lutely unspeakable !  I  should  never  have  thought  it  of 
you,  Genevieve,  nor  of  such  a  thorough  gentleman  as 
Lord  Avondale  —  gentleman  in  our  sense  of  the  term, 
—  refined,  cultured,  and  clean.  Were  he  one  of  the 
gentry  who  have  reasons  for  leaving  England, —  who 
go  West  and  consort  with  ruffians  —  remittance  men  — • 
But  no.  Lady  Chetwynd  assured  me  he  has  been  pre- 
sented at  Court,  and  you  know  the  strictness  of  Queen 
Mary." 

"  You  admit  that  Lord  Avondale  is,  shall  I  say  — 
perfect.  Yet  — " 

"  He  is  irreproachable,  my  dear,  except  as  regards 
his  extraordinary  insistence  upon  an  intimate  friend- 
ship with  that  man." 

"  That  is  what  confirms  my  good  opinion  of  him, 
Aunt  Amice." 

"  That ! " 

"  It  proves  he  is  himself  manly  and  sincere." 


102          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

Mrs.  Gantry  raised  a  plump  hand,  palm  outward. 
"  Between  the  two  of  you  — " 

"  We  know  Mr.  Blake  —  the  real  man.     You  do  not." 

"  I  never  shall.  I  will  not  receive  him  —  never.  He 
is  impossible !  " 

"What!  never?  —  the  man  who  saved  me  from  star- 
vation, fever,  wild  beasts,  from  all  the  horrors  of  that 
savage  coast?  —  the  intimate  friend  of  the  Earl  of 
Avondale  ?  " 

"Does  he  paint,  Vievie?  "  called  Dolores.  "Is  this 
a  picture  of  your  Crusoe  coast?  " 

"  No,  dear.  I  bought  that  in  New  York.  But  it 
is  very  like  the  place  where  Tom  — " 

"  '  Tom  '  !  "  reproached  Mrs.  Gantry.  She  looked 
around  at  her  daughter.  "  Dolores,  I  presumed  you  left 
us  when  I  ordered  you." 

"  Oh,  no,  not  '  ordered,'  mamma.  You  said  '  may,' 
not  *  must.'  " 

"  Leave  the  room !  " 

The  girl  sauntered  down  towards  the  arched  opening 
into  the  rear  drawing-room.  As  she  passed  the  others, 
she  paused  to  pat  her  cousin's  soft  brown  hair. 

"  I  do  believe  the  sun  has  burnt  it  a  shade  lighter, 
Vievie,"  she  remarked.  "  What  fun  it  must  have  been ! 
When  are  you  going  to  show  me  that  leopard-skin 
gown?  " 

"  Leave  the  room  this  instant ! "  commanded  Mrs. 
Gantry. 

Dolores  crossed  her  hands  on  her  bosom  and  crept 
out  with  an  air  of  martyred  innocence.  Her  mother 
turned  to  Genevieve  for  sympathy.  "  That  girl !  I 


PLAYS     FOR     POSITION  103 

don't  know  what  ever  I  shall  do  with  her  —  absolutely 
irrepressible!  These  titled  Englishmen  are  so  particu- 
lar —  she  is  your  cousin." 

Genevieve  colored  slightly.  "  You  should  know  Lord 
Avondale  better.  If  he  is  at  all  interested  — " 

"  He  is,  most  decidedly.  He  dined  with  us  last 
evening.  Laffie  Ashton  called ;  so  I  succeeded  in  getting 
the  earl  away  from  Dolores.  We  had  a  most  satisfying 
little  tete-a-tete.  I  led  him  into  explaining  every- 
thing." 

"  Everything?  "  queried  Genevieve. 

"  Yes,  everything,  my  dear.  His  aloofness  since  you 
reached  Aden  has  been  due  merely  to  his  high  sense  of 
honor, —  to  an  absurd  but  chivalrous  agreement  with 
that  fellow  to  not  press  his  suit  until  after  your  arrival 
home.  At  Aden  he  had  given  the  man  his  word  — " 

"  At  Aden  ?  "  interrupted  Genevieve.  "  How  could 
that  be,  when  Tom  left  the  ship  at  Port  Mozambique?  " 

"  He  did  n't.  It  seems  that  the  fellow  was  aboard  all 
the  time,  hiding  in  the  steerage  or  stoke-hole,  or  some- 
where —  no  doubt  to  spy  on  you  and  Lord  Avondale." 

Genevieve  averted  her  head  and  murmured  in  a  half 
whisper :  "  He  was  aboard  all  that  time,  and  never  came 
up  for  a  breath  of  air  all  those  smothering  days  1  I 
remember  Lord  James  speaking  of  how  hot  and  vile  it 
was  down  in  the  forecastle.  This  explains  why  he  went 
forward  so  much !  " 

"  It  explains  why  he  did  not  book  passage  with  you 
from  Aden  —  why  he  did  not  hasten  to  you  at  Lady 
Chetwynd's  —  all  because  of  his  chivalrous  but  mis- 
taken sense  of  loyalty  to  that  low  fellow." 


104.         OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  If  you  please,  Aunt  Amice,"  said  Genevieve,  in  a 
tone  as  incisive  as  it  was  quiet,  "  you  will  remember  that 
I  esteem  Mr.  Blake." 

Mrs.  Gantry  stared  over  her  half-raised  lorgnette. 
She  had  never  before  known  her  niece  to  be  other  than 
the  very  pattern  of  docility. 

"  Well ! "  she  remarked,  and,  after  a  little  pause ; 
"  Fortunately,  that  absurd  agreement  is  now  at  an  end. 
The  earl  intimated  that  he  would  call  on  you  this  after- 
noon. I  am  sure,  my  dear  — " 

Of  what  the  lady  was  sure  was  left  to  conjecture. 
The  footman  appeared  in  the  hall  entrance  and  an- 
nounced :  "  Mr.  Brice-Ashton." 

Ashton  came  in,  effusive  and  eager.  "  My  dear  Miss 
Genevieve !  I  —  ah,  Mrs.  Gantry !  Did  n't  expect  to 
meet  you  here,  such  a  day  as  this.  Most  unexpected 

—  ah  —  pleasure !     N'est-ce  pas?  —  No,  no  !  my  dear 
Miss  Leslie ;  keep  your  seat !  " 

Genevieve  had  seemed  about  to  rise,  but  he  quite 
deftly  drew  a  chair  around  and  sat  down  close  before 
her.  "  I  simply  could  n't  wait  any  longer.  I  felt  I 
must  call  to  congratulate  you  over  that  marvellous  es- 
cape. It  must  have  been  terrible  —  terrible  1 " 

Genevieve  replied  with  perceptible  coldness :  "  Thank 
you,  Mr.  Ashton.  I  had  not  expected  a  call  from  you." 

"  '  Mr.'  Ashton !  "  he  echoed.     "  Has  it  come  to  that? 

—  when  we  used  to  make  mudpies  together!     Dolores 
said  that  you  — " 

"  Not  so  fast,  Laffie !  "  called  the  girl,  as  she  came 
dancing  into  the  room  in  her  most  animated  manner. 
"  Don't  forget  I  'm  Miss  Gantry  now." 


PLAYS     FOR     POSITION  105 

Ashton  continued  to  address  Genevieve,  without 
turning :  "  I  came  all  the  way  down  from  Michamac 
just  to  congratulate  you  —  left  my  bridge!  " 

"  You  're  too  sudden  with  your  congratulations, 
Laffie,"  mocked  Dolores.  "  Genevieve  has  n't  yet  de- 
cided whether  it 's  to  be  the  hero  or  the  earl." 

"  Dolores,"  admonished  her  mother.  "  I  told  you  to 
leave  the  room." 

"  Yes,  and  forgot  to  tell  me  to  stay  out.  It 's  no  use 
now,  is  it?  Unless  you  wish  me  to  drag  out  Laffie  for 
a  little  tete-a-tete  in  the  conservatory." 

"  Sit  down,  dear,"  said  Genevieve. 

Mrs.  Gantry  turned  to  Ashton  with  a  sudden  unbend- 
ing from  hauteur.  "  My  dear  Lafayette,  I  observed 
your  manner  yesterday  towards  that  —  towards  Mr. 
Blake.  Am  I  right  in  surmising  that  you  know  some- 
thing with  regard  to  his  past?  " 

"  About  Blake?  "  replied  Ashton,  his  usually  wide  and 
ardent  eyes  shifting  their  glance  uneasily  from  his  ques- 
tioner to  Genevieve  and  towards  the  outer  door. 

"  About  my  friend  Mr.  Blake,"  said  Genevieve. 

"  You  call  him  a  friend?  —  a  fellow  like  that  1 "  Ash- 
ton rashly  exclaimed. 

"  He  has  proved  himself  a  disinterested  friend, — 
which  I  cannot  say  of  all  with  whom  I  am  acquainted." 

"  Oh,  of  course,  if  you  feel  that  way." 

"  My  other  friends  will  remember  that  he  saved  my 
life." 

"  If  only  he  had  been  a  gentleman ! "  sighed  Mrs. 
Gantry. 

"  Yes,    Vievie,"    added    Dolores.     "  Next    time    any 


106         OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

one  goes  to  save  you,  shoo  him  off  unless  he  first  offers 
his  card." 

"  Mr.  Blake  is  what  many  a  seeming  gentleman  is 
not,"  said  Genevieve,  her  levelled  glance  fixed  upon 
Ashton.  "  Tom  Blake  is  a  man,  a  strong,  courageous 
man ! " 

"  We  quite  agree  with  you,"  ventured  Ashton.  "  He 
is  a  man  of  the  type  one  so  frequently  sees  among  fire- 
men and  the  police." 

Mrs.  Gantry  intervened  with  quick  tact :  "  Mr. 
Blake  is  quite  an  eminent  civil  engineer,  we  understand. 
As  a  fellow  engineer,  you  have  met  him,  I  dare  say  — 
have  had  dealings  with  him." 

"  I  ?  —  with  him  ?  No  —  that  is  — "  Ashton  stam- 
mered and  shifted  about  uneasily  under  Genevieve's 
level  gaze.  "  It  was  only  when  I  was  acting  as  Mr. 
Leslie's  secretary.  Blake  handed  me  the  bridge  plans 
that  he  afterwards  claimed  were  lost.  I  tell  you,  I 
had  nothing  to  do  with  them  —  nothing !  I  merely  re- 
ceived them  from  him.  That  was  all.  I  went  away  the 
very  next  day  —  resigned  my  position.  I  don't  know 
what  became  of  his  plans, —  nothing  whatever !  I  tell 
you,  the  Michamac  Bridge  — " 

"  Why,  Laffie !  "  giggled  Dolores.  "  What  makes 
you  squirm  so?  You  're  twitching  all  over.  I  thought 
you  'd  had  enough  of  the  simple  life  at  Michamac  to 
recover  from  the  effects  of  that  corner  in  oats. 
You  have  n't  started  another  corner  already,  have 
you?" 

"No,  I  have  —  I  mean,  yes  —  just  a  few  cocktails 
at  the  club  —  yes,  that 's  it.  So  bitter  cold,  this  sleet ! 


PLAYS     FOR     POSITION  107 

You  '11  understand,  Mrs.  Gantry  —  perhaps  one  too 
much.  Have  n't  had  any  since  I  went  back  to  the  bridge 
last  time." 

"  Then  up  at  Michamac  you  take  it  straight?  "  asked 
Dolores. 

Ashton  forced  a  nervous  laugh.  "  Keep  it  up, 
Dodie !  You  '11  make  a  wit  yet."  He  bent  towards 
Genevieve.  "  You  '11  pardon  me,  won't  you,  Gene- 
vieve?  " 

The  girl  raised  her  fine  brows  ever  so  slightly. 
"  '  Miss  Leslie,'  if  you  please." 

"  Of  course  —  of  course !  Just  another  slip  —  that 
last  cocktail  and  the  sleet.  Wet  cold  always  sends  it 
to  my  head.  That  about  Blake,  too  —  I  ought  n't 
to  've  spoken  of  it  after  you  said  he  was  your  friend. 
It 's,  of  course,  your  father's  affair." 

"  Then  you  need  say  no  more  about  it,"  said  Gene- 
vieve with  ironical  graciousness.  He  shifted  about  in 
his  chair,  and  she  caught  him  deftly.  "  Must  you  be 
going  ?  —  really !  Good-day." 

He  rose  uncertainly  to  his  feet,  his  handsome  face 
flushed,  and  his  full  red  lower  lip  twitching. 

"  I  —  I  had  not  intended  — "  he  began. 

"  Good-day ! "  said  Mrs.  Gantry  with  significant  em- 
phasis. 

"  So  sorry  you  must  rush  off  so  soon,  Laffie,"  mocked 
Dolores. 

Social  training  has  its  value.  Ashton  pulled  himself 
together,  bowed  gracefully,  and  started  up  the  room 
with  easy  assurance.  • 

As  he  neared  the  doorway,  the  footman  appeared  and 


108          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

announced  with  unction :  "  The  Right  Honorable,  the 
Earl  of  Avondale." 

Ashton  stopped  short,  and  when  the  Englishman  en- 
tered, met  him  with  an  effusive  greeting:  "  Mon  Dieu! 
Such  a  fortunate  chance,  your  lordship!  So  glad  to 
meet  you  again, —  and  here,  of  all  places !  Don't  for- 
get to  look  me  up  at  my  clubs." 

"  Hearts  are  trumps,  Laffie  —  not  clubs,"  called 
Dolores,  as  Lord  James  passed  him  by  with  a  vague  nod. 


CHAPTER  X 

THE    SHADOW    OF    DOUBT 

BEFORE  the  earl  had  reached  them  Mrs.  Gantry 
was  rising. 
Genevieve    rose    to    protest.     "  You  're    not 
going  so  soon,  Aunt  Amice?     You  '11  stay  for  a  cup  of 
tea?  " 

"  Not  to-day,  my  dear.  Ah,  earl !  you  're  just  in  time 
to  relieve  Genevieve  from  the  ennui  of  a  solitary  after- 
noon. I  regret  so  much  that  we  cannot  stay  with  you. 
Come,  Dolores." 

Dolores  settled  back  comfortably  on  her  chair.  "  Go 
right  on,  mamma.  Don't  wait  for  me.  I  '11  stay  and 
help  Vievie  entertain  Lord  Avondale." 

"  Come  —  at  once." 

"  Oh,  fudge !     Well,  start  on.     I  '11  catch  you." 

Mrs.  Gantry  stepped  past  Lord  James.  Genevieve 
met  his  eager  glance,  and  hastened  to  overtake  her  aunt. 
"  Really,  won't  you  stay,  Aunt  Amice  ?  I  '11  have  tea 
brought  in  at  once." 

"  So  sorry,  my  dear,"  replied  Mrs.  Gantry,  placidly 
sailing  on  towards  the  reception  hall. 

Dolores  simulated  a  yawn.  "  O-o-ho !  I  'm  so  tired. 
Will  nobody  help  me  get  up?" 

With   a  boyish  twinkle   in  his   gray  eyes-  but   pro- 
109 


110          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

found  gravity  in  his  manner,  Lord  James  offered  her 
his  hand.  She  placed  her  fingers  in  his  palm  and 
sprang  up  beside  him.  The  others  were  still  moving 
up  the  room.  She  surprised  him  by  meeting  his  amused 
gaze  with  an  angry  flash  of  her  big  black  eyes. 

"  Shame !  "  she  flung  at  him.  "  You,  his  friend,  and 
would  take  her  from  him ! " 

He  stared  blankly.  The  girl  whirled  away  from  him 
with  a  swish  of  silken  skirts  and  fled  past  her  mother, 
all  her  anger  lost  in  wild  panic. 

"  Dolores !  Whatever  can  — "  cried  Mrs.  Gantry. 
But  Dolores  had  vanished.  "  Really,  Genevieve,  that 
madcap  girl  — !  About  yourself,  my  dear.  Promise 
me  now,  if  you  cannot  say  '  yes,'  at  least  you  '11  not 
make  it  a  final '  no.'  " 

"  But,  Aunt  Amice,  unless  I  feel  — " 

"  Promise  me !  You  must  give  yourself  time  to  make 
sure.  He  will  wait.  I  am  certain  he  will  wait  until 
you  have  found  out — " 

"  I  cannot  promise  anything  now,"  replied  Gene- 
vieve. 

Mrs.  Gantry  did  not  press  the  point.  It  was  the 
second  time  during  the  call  that  her  niece  had  proved 
herself  less  docile  than  she  had  expected.  As  she  left 
the  room,  Genevieve  returned  to  Lord  James  without 
any  outward  sign  of  hesitancy.  She  seated  herself  and 
smiled  composedly  at  her  caller,  who  still  stood  in  the 
daze  into  which  Dolores's  outburst  had  thrown  him. 

"  Won't  you  sit  down?  "  she  invited.  "  How  is  Mr. 
Blake?  " 

With  rather  an  abstracted  air,  Lord  James  sank  down 


''Shame.'"  she  flung  at  him.     "You,  his  friend,  and  would 
take  her  from  him.1  "' 


THE     SHADOW    OF     DOUBT          111 

on  the  chair  opposite  her  and  began  fiddling  with  the 
cord  of  his  monocle. 

"  Have  n't  seen  him  since  yesterday,"  he  replied. 
"  Left  him  at  the  office  of  a  Mr.  Griffith  —  engineer 
—  old  friend.  Gave  him  work  immediately  —  some- 
thing big,  I  take  it.  Asked  Tom  to  bunk  with 
him." 

"  It 's  so  good  to  hear  he  has  work  already  —  and 
to  stay  with  a  friend!  You  mean,  live  with  him?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  He  —  the  friend  —  seems   desirable  ?  " 

"  Decidedly  so,  I  should  say.  Engineer  who  first 
started  him  on  his  career,  if  I  remember  aright  what 
Tom  once  told  me  of  his  early  life." 

"  Oh,  that  is  such  good  news !  But  have  you  seen 
him  since  —  since  this  morning?  He  had  that  appoint- 
ment with  papa,  you  know." 

"  No,  I  regret  to  say  I  have  n't ;  and  I  fear  I  can- 
not reassure  you  as  to  the  outcome.  You  know  Tom's 
way;  and  your  father,  I  take  it,  is  rather —  It  would 
seem  that  they  had  a  disagreement  before  Tom  went 
West  the  last  time." 

"  Yes.  He  once  referred  to  it.  Some  misunder- 
standing with  regard  to  the  payment  of  a  railway  sur- 
vey. I  asked  papa  about  it  last  evening,  and  he  told 
me  that  it  had  been  made  all  right  —  that  Tom  would 
get  his  pay  for  his  share  in  the  survey." 

"  Little  enough,  in  the  circumstances,"  remarked 
Lord  James. 

"  That  was  not  all.  Papa  promised  to  give  him  a 
very  good  position.  He  had  intended  to  offer  money. 


112          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

But  I  explained  to  him  that,  of  course,  Tom  would 
not  accept  money." 

"  Very  true.  I  doubt  if  he  would  have  accepted  it 
even  had  it  not  been  for  his  hope  that — "  Lord 
James  paused  and  stared  glumly  at  his  finger-tips. 
"  Bally  mess,  deuce  take  it !  He  and  your  father  at 
outs,  and  he  and  I  — " 

"  You  have  not  quarrelled?  You  're  still  friends?  " 
exclaimed  Genevieve. 

"Quarrelled?  No,  I  assure  you,  no!  Yet  am  I  his 
friend?  Permit  me  to  be  candid,  Miss  Leslie.  I  'm 
in  a  deuce  of  a  quandary.  On  the  trip  up  to  Aden, 
you  '11  remember,  I  told  you  something  of  the  way  he 
and  I  had  knocked  about  together." 

"  Yes.  Frankly,  it  added  not  a  little  to  my  esteem 
for  you  that  you  had  learned  to  value  his  sterling 
worth." 

"  I  did  not  tell  you  how  it  started.  It  was  in  the 
Kootenay  country  —  British  Columbia,  you  know. 
Bunch  of  sharpers  set  about  to  rook  me  on  a  frame-up 
—  a  bunco  game.  Tom  tipped  me  off,  though  I  had 
snubbed  him,  like  the  egregious  ass  I  was.  I  paid  no 
heed ;  blundered  into  the  trap.  Would  n't  have  minded 
losing  the  thousand  pounds  they  wanted,  but  they 
brought  a  woman  into  the  affair  —  made  it  appear  as 
if  I  were  a  cad  —  or  worse." 

"  Surely  not  that,  Lord  James.  No  one  could  be- 
lieve that  of  you."  * 

"  You  don't  know  the  beastly  cleverness  of  those 
bunco  chaps.  They  had  me  in  a  nasty  hole,  when  Tom 
stepped  in  and  showed  them  up.  Seems  he  knew  more 


THE     SHADOW    OF     DOUBT          113 

about  the  woman  and  two  of  the  men  than  they  cared 
to  have  published.  They  decamped.'* 

"  That  was  so  like  Tom ! "  murmured  Genevieve. 

"  Claimed  he  did  it  because  of  an  old  grudge  against 
the  parties.  Had  to  force  my  thanks  on  him.  Told 
you  how  we  'd  chummed  together  since.  Deuce  take 
it !  why  should  it  have  been  you  on  that  steamer  —  with 
him?  " 

"  Why  ? "  echoed  Genevieve,  gazing  down  at  her 
clasped  hands,  which  still  showed  a  trace  of  tropical 
tan. 

"  You  know  it  —  it  puts  me  in  rather  a  nasty  box,'* 
went  on  Lord  James.  "  Had  I  not  met  you  before  he 
did,  it  is  possible  that  I  could  have  avoided- —  You 
see  my  predicament.  He  and  I  've  been  together  so 
much,  I  can  foresee  the  effect  on  him  of  —  er  —  of  a 
great  disappointment." 

Genevieve  gazed  up  at  him  with  startled  eyes. 
"  Lord  James,  you  must  explain  that ;  you  must  be 
explicit." 

"I  —  I  did  not  intend  to  so  much  as  mention  it," 
stammered  the  young  Englishman,  bitterly  chagrined 
at  himself.  "  It  was  only  —  pray,  do  not  ask  me,  Miss 
Leslie ! " 

"  You  referred,  of  course,  to  his  drinking,"  said 
Genevieve,  in  a  tone  as  tense  as  it  was  quiet.  "  Do  not 
reproach  yourself.  When  we  were  cast  ashore  together, 
he  was  —  not  himself.  But  when  I  remember  all  those 
weeks  that  followed  — !  You  cannot  imagine  how 
brave  and  resolute,  how  truly  courageous  he  was !  —  and 
under  that  outward  roughness,  how  kind  and  gentle ! " 


114          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  I  too  know  him.  That 's  what  makes  it  so  hard. 
The  thought  that  I  may  possibly  cause  him  a  disap- 
pointment that  may  result  in  — "  Lord  James  came 
to  a  stop,  tugging  at  his  mustache. 

Genevieve  was  again  staring  at  the  slender  little  hands, 
from  which  the  most  expert  manicuring  had  not  yet 
entirely  removed  all  traces  of  rough  usage. 

"  He  told  me  something  of  —  of  what  he  had  to 
fight,"  she  murmured  in  a  troubled  voice.  "  But  I  feel 
that  —  that  if  something  came  into  his  life — "  She 
blushed,  but  went  on  bravely  —  "  something  to  take 
him  out  of  what  he  calls  the  grind — " 

Lord  James  had  instantly  averted  his  gaze  from  her 
crimsoning  face. 

"  That 's  the  worst  of  it  I "  he  burst  out.  "  If  only 
I  could  feel  sure  that  he  —  I  've  seen  him  fight  — 
Gad!  how  he  has  fought  —  time  and  again.  Yet 
sooner  or  later,  always  the  inevitable  defeat !  " 

"  I  cannot  believe  it !  I  cannot !  "  insisted  Gene- 
vieve. "  With  his  strength,  his  courage  J  It 's  only 
been  the  circumstances ;  that  he  has  had  nobody  to  — 
I  —  I  beg  your  pardon  f  Of  course  you  —  What  I 
mean  is  somebody  who  — "  She  buried  her  face  in  her 
hands,  blushing  more  vividly  than  before. 

The  Englishman's  face  lightened.  "  Then  you  've 
not  let  my  deplorable  blunder  alter  your  attitude  towards 
him?" 

"  Not  in  the  slightest." 

He  leaned  forward.  "  Then  —  I  can  wait  no  longer ! 
You  must  know  how  greatly  I —  All  those  days  com- 
ing up  to  Aden  I  could  say  nothing.  Before  coming 


THE     SHADOW     OF     DOUBT          115 

aboard,  he  had  told  me  why  he  could  not  permit  you 
to  —  to  commit  yourself  irrevocably." 

He  paused.  Genevieve  bent  over  lower.  She  did 
not  speak. 

He  went  on  steadily :  "  It  was  then  I  realized  fully 
his  innate  fineness.  I  own  it  astonished  me,  well  as  I 
thought  I  knew  him.  With  his  brains,  his  *  grit,'  and 
that,  I  'd  say  he  could  become  anything  he  wished  — 
were  it  not  for  his  —  for  the  one  weakness." 

Genevieve  flung  up  her  head,  to  gaze  at  him  in  in- 
dignant protest.  "  Weakness !  How  can  you  say 
that?  He  is  so  strong  —  so  strong!" 

"  In  all  else  than  that,"  insisted  Lord  James.  "  You 
must  face  the  hard  fact.  Gad!  this  is  far  worse  than 
I  thought  it  would  be.  But  I  knew  you  before  he  did, 
and  I  've  played  fair  with  him.  It  was  not  easy  to 
say  nothing  those  days  before  we  reached  Aden,  or 
to  stay  away  from  you  after  I  reached  home.  Even 
he  could  not  have  found  it  so  hard.  He  has  all  that 
stubborn  power  of  endurance ;  while  I  — " 

"  You  have  no  cause  to  reproach  yourself.  I  can- 
not say  how  greatly  it  pleased  me  that  you  took  him 
to  Ruthby  Castle." 

"  Could  you  but  have  been  there,  too !  He  and  the 
pater  hit  it  off  out  of  hand.  Jolly  sensible  chap, 
the  pater  —  quiet,  bookish  —  long  head." 

"He  must  be!" 

"  Not  strange  about  Tom,  though.  It 's  odd  how 
his  bigness  makes  itself  felt  —  to  those  who  've  any 
sense  of  judgment.  And  yet  it's  not  so  odd,  when 
you  come  to  think.  My  word!  if  only  it  were  not 


OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

for  his  —  Forgive  me,  Miss  Genevieve !  I  've  the 
right  to  consider  what  it  might  mean  to  you.  It  gives 
me  the  right  to  speak  for  myself.  He  himself  insisted 
that,  in  justice  to  you,  I  should  not  withdraw." 

"Lord  James!" 

"  Pray,  do  not  misunderstand,  Miss  Genevieve.  He 
knew  what  it  meant  to  me.  But  our  first  thought  was 
for  you.  He  wished  you  to  have  the  full  contrast  of 
your  own  proper  environment,  that  you  might  regain 
your  perspective  —  the  point  of  view  natural  to  one 
of  your  position." 

"  He  could  think  I  'd  go  back  to  the  shams  and 
conventions,  after  those  weeks  of  real  life ! " 

"  Sometimes  life  is  a  bit  too  real  in  the  most  con- 
ventional of  surroundings,"  said  his  lordship,  with  a 
rueful  smile.  "  No.  He  saw  that  you  had  no  right 
to  commit  yourself  then;  that  you  should  reconsider 
matters  in  the  environment  in  which  you  belong  and 
for  which  he  is  not  now  fitted  —  whatever  may  be  the 
outcome  of  his  efforts  to  make  himself  fit." 

"  He  will  succeed !  " 

"  He  may  succeed.  I  should  not  have  the  slightest 
hesitancy  in  saying  that  success  would  be  certain,  were 
it  not  for  that  one  flaw.  It 's  not  to  be  held  against 
him  —  an  inherited  weakness." 

"Do  you  not  believe  we  can  overcome  heredity?  " 

"  In  some  cases,  I  daresay.  But  with  him  —  You 
must  bear  in  mind  I  've  seen  the  futility  of  his  struggle. 
All  his  resolution  and  courage  ami  endurance  seem  to 
count  for  nothing.  But  it 's  too  painful !  Can't  we 
leave  him  out  of  this?  You  are  aware  that  I  missed 


THE     SHADOW     OF     DOUBT          117 

my  opportunity  when  Lady  Bayrose  changed  her  plans 
and  rushed  you  off  on  the  other  ship.  After  that  you 
may  imagine  how  difficult  I  found  it  to  say  nothing, 
do  nothing,  coming  up  to  Aden." 

"  Please,  please  say  no  more !  "  begged  Genevieve,  her 
eyes  bright  with  tears  of  distress.  "  I  regard  you  too 
highly.  You  have  my  utmost  esteem,  my  respect  and 
friendship,  my  —  you  see  he  has  taught  me  to  be  sin- 
cere—  you  have  my  affection.  Dear  friend,  I  shall 
be  perfectly  candid.  I  was  a  silly  girl.  I  had  never 
sensed  the  realities  of  life.  I  had  a  young  girl's 
covetousness  of  a  coronet  —  of  a  title.  Yet  that  was 
not  all.  I  felt  a  warm  regard  for  you.  Had  you 
spoken  before  I  met  him,  before  I  learned  to  know 
him  — " 

"Before  you  knew  him?  Then  you  still —  ?  The 
contrast  of  civilization  —  of  your  own  environment  — 
has  made  no  difference?  " 

"  I  do  not  say  that.  Yet  it  is  not  in  the  manner 
you  suppose."  She  looked  away,  with  a  piteous  at- 
tempt to  smile.  "  It 's  strange  how  much  pain  can  be 
caused  by  the  slightest  shadow  of  a  doubt." 

"  Miss  Genevieve !  I  —  I  shall  never  be  able  to  for- 
give myself!  For  me  to  have  said  a  word  —  it  was 
despicable ! " 

"  No,  do  not  say  it.  Can  you  think  me  capable  of 
misunderstanding?  Dear  friend,  I  esteem  you  all  the 
more  for  what  I  know  it  must  have  cost  you.  But  no ; 
what  I  spoke  of  was  something  that  was  already  in  my 
own  mind." 

"  Ah  —  then  you,  too  —     Miss  Genevieve,  it 's  been 


118          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

so  good  of  you.  Let  me  beg  that  you  do  not  con- 
sider this  as  final." 

"  But  I  can  promise  you  nothing.  It  would  not  be 
right  to  you." 

"  I  ask  only  that  you  do  not  consider  this  final. 
You  have  admitted  a  shadow  of  a  doubt.  With  your 
permission,  I  propose  to  wait  until  you  have  solved  that 
doubt.  You  have  given  me  cause  to  hope  that,  were  it 
not  for  him — " 

"  It  is  not  right  for  me  to  give  you  the  slightest 
hope." 

"  But  I  take  it.  Meantime,  no  more  annoyance  to 
you.  We  '11  be  jolly  good  friends,  no  more.  You  take 
me?" 

"  I  '11  ring  for  tea.     You  deserve  it." 

"  No  objections,  I  assure  you.  I  '11  serve  as  stopgap 
till  Tom  turns  up." 

Genevieve  rose  quickly,  her  color  deepening.  "  He 
is  coming?  —  this  afternoon!" 

"  I  should  not  have  been  surprised  had  I  found  him 
here.  And  now  — "  He  glanced  at  his  watch.  "  It 's 
already  half  after  four." 

"  Oh,  and  papa  said  he  'd  be  home  early  to-day !  — 
though  his  custom  is  to  come  barely  in  time  to  dress  for 
dinner." 

"  Hope  Tom  hit  it  off  with  him  this  morning  — 
but  — "  Lord  James  shook  his  head  dubiously  —  "I 
fear  he  was  not  in  a  conciliatory  mood." 


CHAPTER  XI 

REBELLION 

GENEVIEVE   rang  for  tea,  and  changed  the 
conversation   to   impersonal   topics.     A   foot- 
man  brought  in   a   Russian   samovar   and   a 
service  of  eggshell  china.     They  sipped  their  tea  and 
chatted  lightly  about  English  acquaintances,  but  with 
frequent  glances  towards  the  hall  entrance.     Each  was 
wondering  which  one  would  be  first  to  come,  Blake  or 
Mr.  Leslie. 

The  conversation  had  languished  to  a  mere  pretext 
when  Blake  was  announced.  The  engineer  entered 
slowly,  his  face  red  and  moist  from  the  fierce  drive 
of  the  sleet  off  the  lake.  He  had  come  afoot. 

Genevieve  placed  a  trembling  hand  on  the  cover  of 
her  samovar,  and  called  to  him  gayly :  "  Hurry  here 
at  once  and  have  a  good  hot  cup  of  tea.  You  must 
be  frozen." 

Blake  came  to  them  across  the  waxed  floor  with  an 
ease  and  assurance  of  step  in  part  due  to  his  visit  to 
Ruthby  Castle  and  in  part  to  his  walk  over  the  sleet- 
coated  pavements. 

"  No  tea  for  me,  Miss  Jenny,"  he  replied  with  cheer- 
ful heartiness.  "  Thanks,  just  the  same.  But  I  'm 
warm  as  toast  —  look  it,  too,  eh  ?  " 

119 


120          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  Then  take  it  to  cool  you  off,"  suggested  Lord 
James.  "  That 's  the  Russian  plan.  When  you  're 
cold,  hot  tea  to  warm  you ;  when  you  're  hot,  hot  tea 
to  cool  you." 

"  Not  when  water  tastes  good  to  me,"  replied  Blake 
with  a  significance  that  did  not  escape  his  friend. 
"  Well,  Jimmy,  so  you  beat  me  to  it." 

"  Waited  till  after  three,"  said  Lord  James. 

"  Thought  you  'd  hang  back  to  give  me  the  start  ? 
Went  you  one  better,  eh?"  replied  Blake.  He  stared 
fixedly  into  the  handsome  high-bred  face  of  his  friend 
and  then  at  Genevieve's  down-bent  head.  "  Well  ? 
What 's  the  good  word  ?  Is  it  —  congratulations  ?  " 

"  Not  this  time,  old  man,"  answered  the  Englishman 
lightly.  He  rose.  "  Take  my  seat.  Must  be  going." 

Blake's  eyes  glowed.  "  You  're  the  gamest  ever, 
Jimmy  boy." 

"  Don't  crow  till  you  're  out  of  the  woods,"  laughed 
his  friend.  "  Can't  wish  you  success,  y'  know.  But 
it 's  to  continue  the  same  between  us  as  it  has  been,  if 
you  're  willing." 

"  That 's  like  you,  Jimmy ! " 

"  To  be  sure.  But  I  really  must  be  going.  Good- 
day,  Miss  Genevieve." 

The  girl  looked  up  without  attempting  to  conceal 
her  affection  and  sympathy  for  him. 

"  Dear  friend,"  she  said,  "  before  you  go,  I  wish 
to  tell  you  how  highly  I  value  and  appreciate — " 

"  No  more,  no  more,  I  beg  of  you,"  he  protested, 
with  genial  insistence.  "  Tom,  I  '11  be  dropping  in  on 
you  at  your  office." 


REBELLION  121 

He  bowed  to  Genevieve,  and  still  cloaking  his  hurt 
with  a  cheerful  smile,  started  to  leave  them.  At  the 
same  moment  Mr.  Leslie  came  hurrying  into  the  room. 
The  sight  of  Lord  James  brought  him  to  a  stand. 

"  H'm !  "  he  coughed.  "  So  it 's  you,  Lord  Avon- 
dale  ?  Hodges  said  — "  His  keen  eyes  glanced  past  the 
Englishman  to  the  big  form  across  the  corner  of  the 
table  from  Genevieve.  "What!  Right,  was  he?  — 
Genevieve." 

"  Yes,  papa?  "  replied  the  girl,  looking  at  Blake  with 
a  startled  gaze.  She  was  very  pale,  but  her  delicately 
curved  lips  straightened  with  quiet  determination.  She 
did  not  rise. 

"  Er  —  glad  to  meet  you  again  so  soon,  Mr.  Leslie," 
said  Lord  James,  deftly  placing  himself  so  that  the 
other  could  not  avoid  his  proffered  hand  without  marked 
discourtesy.  Mr.  Leslie  held  out  his  flaccid  fingers. 
They  were  caught  fast  and  retained  during  a  cordial 
and  prolonged  handshake. 

"  When  we  first  met,"  went  on  his  lordship  suavely, 
"  time  was  lacking  for  me  to  congratulate  you  on  the 
fact  that  your  daughter  came  through  her  terrible  ex- 
perience so  well.  She  has  assured  me  that  she  feels  all 
the  better  for  it.  Only  one,  like  myself,  accustomed 
to  knocking  about  the  tropics,  can  fully  realize  the  ex- 
traordinary resourcefulness  and  courage  of  the  man  who 
had  the  good  fortune  to  bring  her  through  it  all  safely 
and,  as  she  says,  bettered." 

"  Yes,  yes,  we  all  know  that,  and  admit  it,"  replied 
the  captive,  attempting  to  free  his  hand. 

Lord  James   gave  it  a  final  wring.     "  To  be  sure ! 


122          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

You,  of  all  men,  will  bear  in  mind  what  he  accomplished. 
Yet  I  must  insist  that  my  own  appreciation  is  no  less 
keen.  It  is  the  greatest  satisfaction  to  me  that  I  am 
privileged  to  call  Thomas  Blake  my  friend." 

"  Your  friend  has  put  me  under  obligations,"  an- 
swered Mr.  Leslie.  "  I  have  acknowledged  to  him  that 
I  owe  him  a  heavy  debt  for  what  he  has  done.  I  stand 
ready  to  pay  him  for  his  services,  whenever  he  is  ready 
to  accept  payment." 

"  Ah,  indeed,"  murmured  Lord  James.  "  'Pon  my 
word,  now,  that 's  what  I  call  deuced  generous." 

"  No ;  that  Js  not  the  question  at  all.  It 's  merely 
a  matter  of  a  business  settlement  for  services  rendered," 
replied  Mr.  Leslie. 

"  Yet  one  does  not  —  er  —  value  gratitude  in  pounds 
and  dollars,  y'  know." 

"  No,  no,  of  course  you  do  not,  papa ! "  exclaimed 
Genevieve.  "  Please  remember  —  please  try  to  con- 
sider — " 

She  would  better  have  remained  silent.  Her  evident 
concern  alarmed  her  father  to  the  point  of  exaspera- 
tion. 

"  I  am  considering  how  this  friend  of  Lord  Avondale's 
bore  himself  towards  me,  in  my  office,  this  morning," 
he  interrupted  her.  He  turned  again  to  Lord  James. 
"  I  should  not  need  to  tell  you,  sir,  that  the  manner  of 
expressing  gratitude  depends  altogether  on  the  circum- 
stances. We  are  now,  however,  considering  another 
matter.  You  were  about  to  leave  —  You  will  always 
be  welcome  to  my  house,  Lord  Avondale,  and  so  will 
be  your  friends,  when  they  come  and  go  with  you" 


REBELLION  123 

"  Father  ? "  protested  Genevieve,  rising  to  face  him. 

"  My  mistake,  Miss  Jenny,"  said  Blake,  coolly  draw- 
ing himself  up  beside  her.  "  I  thought  it  was  your 
house." 

He  swung  about  to  Mr.  Leslie,  and  said,  with  un- 
expected mildness :  "  Don't  worry ;  I  'm  going.  We 
don't  want  to  fuss  here,  do  we?  —  to  make  it  any  harder 
for  her.  But  first,  there 's  one  thing.  You  're  her 
father  —  I  want  to  say  I  'm  sorry  I  cut  loose  this 
morning." 

"  What!  you  apologize?  " 

"  As  to  what  I  said  about  my  bridge  plans  —  yes. 
If  you  had  left  out  about  —  If  you  had  n't  rubbed  it 
in  so  hard  about  me  and —  You  know  what  I  mean. 
It  made  me  red-hot.  I  could  n't  help  cutting  loose. 
But,  just  the  same,  I  ought  n't  to  've  said  that  about 
the  plans,  because  —  well,  because,  you  see,  I  don't  be- 
lieve it." 

"  You  don't  ?     Then  why  —  ?  " 

*'  I  did  believe  it  before.  I  believed  it  this  morn- 
ing, when  I  was  mad.  But  I  've  had  time  to  cool  off 
and  think  it  over.  Queer  thing  —  all  the  evidence  and 
probabilities  are  there,  just  the  same ;  but  somehow  I 
can't  believe  it  of  you  any  longer  —  simply  can't. 
You  're  her  father." 

"  H'm  —  this  puts  a  different  face  on  the  matter," 
admitted  Mr.  Leslie.  "  I  begin  to  think  that  I  may 
have  been  rather  too  hasty.  Had  you  been  more  con- 
ciliatory, less  —  h'm  —  positive,  I  'm  inclined  to  believe 
that  we — " 

"  I    don't    care    what    you    believe,"    was    Blake's 


124,         OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

brusque  rejoinder.  "  I  'm  not  trying  to  curry  favor 
with  you.  Understand?  Come  on,  Jimmy." 

But  Genevieve  was  at  his  elbow,  between  him  and 
the  door. 

"  You  are  not  going  now,  Tom,"  she  said. 

"  Genevieve,'*  reproved  her  father.  "  This  is  most 
unlike  you." 

"  Unlike  my  former  frivolous,  pampered  self !  "  cried 
the  girl.  "  I  'm  no  longer  a  silly  debutante,  papa. 
I  've  lived  the  grim  hard  realities  of  life  —  there  on 
that  dreadful  coast  —  with  him.  I  'm  a  woman." 

"  You  child !     You  're  not  even  twenty-one." 

"  I  am  old  —  older  than  the  centuries,  papa  —  old 
enough  to  know  my  own  mind."  She  turned  to  Blake. 
"  You  were  right,  Tom.  This  is  my  home  —  legally 
mine.  You  are  welcome  to  stay." 

"  Mr.  Leslie ! "  interposed  Lord  James,  before  her 
father  could  reply.  "  One  moment,  if  you  please.  I 
have  told  you  that  Mr.  Blake  and  I  are  friends. 
More  than  that,  we  are  intimate  friends  —  chums.  I 
wish  to  impress  on  you  the  very  high  esteem  in  which 
I  hold  him,  the  more  than  admiration  — " 

"  Chuck  it,  Jimmy,"  put  in  Blake. 

Lord  James  concluded  in  a  tone  of  polite  frigidity. 
ft  And  since  you  place  conditions  on  his  welcome  to 
your  house,  permit  me  to  remark  that  I  prefer  his  ac- 
quaintance to  yours."  He  bowed  with  utmost  formality. 

"  H'm  1 "  rasped  Mr.  Leslie.  "  You  should  under- 
stand, sir.  Had  you  not  interrupted  me  — "  He 
abruptly  faced  Blake.  "  You,  at  least,  will  under- 


REBELLION  125 

stand  my  position  —  that  I  have  some  reason —  It 
is  not  that  I  wish  to  appear  discourteous,  even  after 
this  morning.  You  've  apologized ;  I  cannot  ask  you 
to  go  —  I  do  not  ask  you  to  go.  Yet  — " 

"  If  you  please,  papa,"  said  Genevieve  with  entranc- 
ing sweetness. 

"  Well?  " 

"  Is  n't  it  time  for  you  to  dress  ?  " 

"  No  —  came  home  early,"  replied  Mr.  Leslie,  jerk- 
ing out  his  watch.  He  searched  his  daughter's  face 
with  an  apprehensive  glance,  and  again  addressed 
Blake.  "  Too  early.  There 's  time  for  a  run  out  to 
George  Ashton's.  Want  to  see  him  on  a  matter  of 
business.  Valuable  acquaintance  for  you  to  make. 
Jump  into  the  runabout  with  me,  and  I  '11  introduce 
you  to  him." 

"  Thanks,"  said  Blake  dryly.     "  Not  to-day." 

"  Mr.  Blake  has  just  come,  papa,"  said  Genevieve. 
"  You  would  not  deprive  us  of  the  pleasure  of  a  little 
visit." 

"  H'm.  By  cutting  it  close,  I  can  wait  a  few 
minutes." 

"  You  need  not  trouble  to  wait,  papa.  You  can  in- 
troduce him  to  Mr.  Ashton  some  other  time." 

"  May  I  offer  myself  as  a  substitute  ?  "  put  in  Lord 
James.  "  Mrs.  Gantry  has  told  me  so  much  about  the 
elder  Mr.  Ashton.  Quite  curious  to  meet  him." 

Blandly  taking  Mr.  Leslie's  assent  as  a  matter  of 
course,  he  started  toward  the  door.  "  Good-day,  Miss 
Leslie.  Ah  —  do  we  go  out  this  way?  Can't  tell  you 


126          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

how  I  value  the  opportunity.  Very  good  of  you, 
very !  " 

"  Wait,"  said  Mr.  Leslie.  "  Genevieve,  have  n't  you 
an  engagement  out,  this  afternoon?" 

"  If  I  had  a  dozen,  papa,  I  should  not  deprive  Mr. 
Blake  of  his  call." 

"  Mr.  Blake  is  welcome  to  his  call.  But  —  since  you 
force  me  to  say  it  —  I  must  expressly  tell  you,  it  is 
my  wish  that  you  should  not  see  him  alone." 

"  I  'm  very  sorry,  papa,  that  you  should  forbid  me," 
said  Genevieve  with  a  quiet  tensity  that  should  have 
forewarned  him» 

"Sorry?" 

"  Yes,  papa,  because,  if  you  insist,  I  shall  have  to 
disobey  you." 

"You  will?" 

He  stared  at  her,  astounded,  and  she  sustained  his 
gaze  with  a  steadiness  that  he  perceived  could  not  be 
shaken. 

Lord  James  again  interposed.  "  I  beg  your  pardon, 
Mr.  Leslie,  if  I  may  seem  to  interfere.  But  as  he  is 
my  friend,  I,  too,  request  you  — " 

"  You  ?  "  exclaimed  Mr.  Leslie,  with  fresh  astonish- 
ment. "  You  also  side  with  him  ?  —  when  my  sister- 
in-law  tells  me — " 

"  That  is  all  by-the-bye,  I  assure  you,  sir.  The 
least  I  can  do  for  the  man  who  saved  her  life  is  to 
play  fair.  Permit  me  to  say  that  you  can  do  no  less." 

Mr.  Leslie  looked  at  Genevieve  with  a  troubled  frown. 


REBELLION  127 

"  At  least,  my  dear,  I  hope  you  '11  remember  who 
you  are,"  he  said. 

She  made  no  reply,  but  stood  white-faced  and  re- 
solute until  he  went  from  the  room.  Lord  James  fol- 
lowed close  after  him. 

Blake  and  Genevieve  were  left  alone. 


CHAPTER  XII 

THE    DEEPENING    OF    DOUBT 

LAKE  stood  as  motionless  as  a  carved  figure, 
his  eyes  glowing  upon  the  girl,  blue  and 
radiant  with  tenderness  and  compassion  and 
profound  love. 

The  clang  of  a  heavy  door  told  her  that  her  father 
had  left  the  house.  On  the  instant  all  her  firmness  left 
her.  She  hid  her  face  in  her  hands  and  sank  into  the 
nearest  chair,  quivering  and  weeping,  in  silent  anguish. 

Blake  came  near  and  stood  over  her.  He  spoke  to 
her  in  a  voice  that  was  deep  and  low  and  very  soft: 
"  There,  there,  little  girl,  don't  you  mind !  Just  cry 
it  out.  It'll  do  you  good.  You  know  I  understand. 
Have  a  good  cry  !  " 

The  sympathetic  urging  to  give  way  freely  to  her 
weeping  almost  immediately  soothed  her  grief  and 
checked  the  flow  of  tears.  She  rose  uncertainly,  dab- 
bing at  her  eyes. 

"I  —  I  could  n't  help  it,  Tom.  It 's  the  fi-first  time 
papa  's  ever  been  so  cross  with  me ! " 

"  My  fault,  I  guess.  Rubbed  his  fur  the  wrong  way 
this  morning  pretty  hard.  But  don't  you  fret,  girlie. 
It  '11  be  all  right.  Only  we  must  n't  blame  him.  Think 
of  what  it  means  to  him.  You  're  all  he  has,  and  if 

128 


THE     DEEPENING     OF     DOUBT     129 

he  thinks  you  're  —  if  he  thinks  he 's  going  to  lose 
you  — " 

"But  it  was  so  cruel!  —  so  unjust!  —  the  way  he 
treated  you ! " 

"  Oh,  that 's  all  right,  little  woman.  I  don't  mind 
that.  We  '11  all  forget  it  by  to-morrow.  He  did  n't 
mean  half  he  said.  It  was  just  the  thought  that  I  — 
that  somebody  might  take  you  away  from  him. 
Jenny !  "  His  eyes  glowed  upon  her  blue  as  sapphires. 
"  You  're  home  now." 

He  held  his  arms  open  for  her  to  come  to  him. 
She  swayed  forward  as  if  to  give  herself  into  the  clasp 
of  those  strong  arms,  but  instantly  checked  the  move- 
ment and  shrank  back  a  little  way. 

"  Wait,  Tom,"  she  murmured  hesitatingly.  "  We 
must  first — " 

"  Wait  longer,  Jenny  ?  "  he  exclaimed,  his  deep  voice 
vibrant  with  the  intensity  of  his  feeling.  "  No,  I  must 
say  it !  I  've  waited  all  these  weeks  —  good  Lord !  — 
when  maybe  you  've  thought  it  was  because  I  did  n't 
want  to  —  to  do  as  you  asked  1 " 

"  It 's  not  that,  Tom,  truly  it 's  not  that.  I  was 
hurt  and  —  shamed.  But  even  then  I  divined  why  you 
had  done  it  and  realized  the  nobility  of  your  motive." 

"  Nobility?  That's  a  good  joke!  You  know  I  was 
only  trying  to  do  the  square  thing.  Any  man  would 
have  done  the  same." 

"  Any  man  would.  I  'm  not  so  certain  as  to  some 
who  call  themselves  gentlemen." 

"  There  're  some  who  're  real  gentlemen  —  worse 
luck  to  me  —  Jimmy,  for  one.  I  can  never  catch  up 

9 


ISO          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

with  him  in  that  line,  girlie,  but  I  can  make  a  stagger 
at  it." 

"  You  can  become  anything  you  will,  Tom,"  she  said 
with  calm  conviction. 

"  Maybe,"  he  replied.  "  But,  Jenny,  I  can't  wait 
for  that.  Wish  I  could.  I  'm  still  only  —  what  you 
know.  Same  time,  you  're  back  home  now,  and  you  Ve 
been  visiting  with  your  titled  friends.  Also  you  've 
seen  how  your  father  looks  at  it,  and  how  — " 

"  What  does  all  that  amount  to  —  even  papa's 
anger?  If  only  that  were  all !  " 

"  Jenny !  then  you  still  —  ?  "  His  voice  quivered 
with  passion.  "  My  little  girl !  —  how  I  love  you ! 
God !  how  I  love  you !  I  never  thought  much  of  girls, 
but  I  loved  you  the  first  time  I  ever  set  eyes  on  you, 
there  in  the  Transvaal.  That 's  why  I  threw  up  the 
management  of  the  mine.  I  knew  who  your  father  was  ; 
I  knew  I  had  n't  a  ghost  of  a  show.  But  I  followed 
you  to  Cape  Town  —  could  n't  help  it !  " 

"  You  —  you  old  silly  !  "  she  murmured,  half  fright- 
ened by  the  greatness  of  his  passion.  "  You  should 
have  known  I  was  only  a  shallow  society  girl !  " 

"  Shallow?  —  you?     You  're  deep  as  blue  water !  " 

"  The  ocean  is  fickle." 

"  You  're  not ;  you  're  true !  You  've  lived!  I  've 
seen  you  face  with  a  smile  what  many  a  man  would 
have  run  from." 

"  Because  with  me  was  one  who  would  have  died 
sooner  than  that  harm  should  come  to  me !  Those  weeks, 
those  wonderful  weeks  that  we  lived,  so  close  to  primi- 
tive, savage  Nature  —  bloody  f anged  Nature !  —  those 


THE     DEEPENING     OF     DOUBT     131 

weeks  that  I  stood  by  your  side  and  saw  her  paint 
for  us  her  beautiful,  terrible  pictures  of  Life,  pictures 
whose  blue  was  the  storm-wave  and  the  sky  veiled  with 
fever-haze,  whose  white  was  the  roaring  surf  and  the 
glare  of  thunderbolts,  whose  red  was  fire  and  blood! 
And  you  saved  me  from  all  —  all !  I  had  never  even 
dreamt  that  a  man  could  be  so  courageous,  so  endur- 
ing, so  strong ! " 

His  face  clouded,  and  he  gave  back  before  her 
radiant  look. 

"Strong?"  he  muttered.  "That's  the  question. 
Am  I?" 

"  Of  course  you  are !  I  'm  sure  you  are.  You  must 
be.  It  was  that  which  compelled  my  —  which  made  me 
— "  She  paused,  and  a  swift  blush  swept  over  her  face 
from  forehead  to  throat  — "  made  me  propose  to  you, 
there  on  the  cliff,  when  the  steamer  came." 

"  That  a  lady  should  have  loved  me  like  that ! "  he 
murmured.  "  I  still  can't  believe  it  was  true  !  My  little 
girl,  it 's  not  possible  —  not  possible !  " 

"  You  say  '  loved,' "  she  whispered.  Her  eyelids 
fluttered  and  drooped  before  his  ardent  gaze ;  her  scarlet 
face  bent  downward;  she  held  out  her  hands  to  him 
in  timid  surrender. 

He  caught  them  between  his  big  palms,  but  not  to 
draw  her  to  him.  A  jagged  mark  on  her  round  wrist 
caught  his  eye.  It  was  the  scar  of  a  vicious  thorn. 
The  last  time  he  had  seen  it  was  on  the  cliff  top, — 
that  other  time  when  she  put  out  her  arms  to  him.  He 
bent  over  and  kissed  the  red  scar. 

"  Jenny,"  he  replied  in  bitter  self-reproach,  "  here  's 


132          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

another  time  I  've  proved  I  'm  not  in  your  class  —  not 
a  gentleman.  You  've  raised  a  point  —  the  real  point. 
Am  I  what  you  think  me  ?  You  think  I  'm  at  least  a 
man.  Am  I  ?  " 

She  looked  up  at  him,  her  face  suddenly  gone  white 
again.  "  Tom !  You  don't  mean  —  ?  " 

"  About  my  being  strong.  All  that  you  've  seen  so 
far  are  my  leading  suits.  There 's  that  other  to  be 
reckoned  with  yet.  I  told  your  father  I  had  n't  touched 
a  drop  since  the  wreck.  But  you  know  how  it  was  be- 
fore." 

"  Yes,  dear,  but  that  was  before !  " 

"  I  know.  Things  are  different  now.  I  've  some- 
thing at  stake  that  '11  help  me  fight.  You  can't  guess, 
though,  how  that  craving  —  Lucky  I  '11  have  Jimmy, 
as  well,  to  back  me  up.  He  's  great  when  it  comes  to 
jollying  a  fellow  over  the  bumps.  He'll  help." 

"  It 's  little  enough,  after  all  you  've  done  for  him ! 
He  told  me." 

"  Just  like  him.  But  let 's  not  get  sidetracked. 
What  I  wanted  to  make  clear  is  that  I  'm  not  so  ever- 
lastingly strong  as  you  seem  to  think." 

"  Tom,  you  '11  not  give  way !     You  '11  fight !  " 

"  Yes,  I  '11  fight,"  he  responded  soberly. 

"And  you'll  win!" 

"  I  hope  so,  girlie.  I  've  fought  it  before,  and  it 
has  downed  me,  time  and  again.  But  now  it 's  dif- 
ferent —  unless  you  've  found  you  were  mistaken.  But 
if  you  still  feel  as  when  you  —  as  you  did  there  on  the 
cliff  that  morning  —  Good  God !  how  could  I  lose  out, 
with  you  backing  me  up?  " 


THE     DEEPENING    OF     DOUBT     133 

She  looked  at  him  with  a  quick  recurrence  of  doubt. 
"You  ask  help  of  me?" 

"  If  you  care  enough,  Jenny.  It 's  not  going  to  be 
a  j  oke.  I  've  tried  before,  and  gone  under  so  many 
times  that  some  people  would  say  I  've  no  show  left. 
But  let  me  tell  you,  girlie,  I  'm  going  to  fight  this 
time  for  all  I  'm  worth.  I  'm  going  to  break  this  curse 
if  I  can.  It  is  a  curse,  you  '11  remember.  I  told  you 
about  my  mother." 

"  You  should  not  think  of  that.  What  does  heredity 
count  as  against  environment !  " 

"  Environment  ?  —  heredity  ?  By  all  accounts,  my 
father  was  the  man  you  've  thought  me,  and  a  lot  more 
—  railroad  engineer;  nerviest  man  ever  ran  an  engine 
out  of  Chicago  on  the  Pennsylvania  Line;  American 
stock  from  way  back  —  Scotch-Irish ;  sober  as  a  church, 
steady,  strong  as  a  bull.  Never  an  accident  all  the 
years  he  pulled  the  fast  express  till  the  one  that  smashed 
him.  Could  have  jumped  and  saved  himself  —  stayed 
by  his  throttle,  and  saved  the  train.  They  brought  him 
home  —  what  was  left  of  him.  Papers  headlined  him; 
you  know  how  they  do  it.  That  was  my  father." 

"  Oh,  Tom !  and  with  such  a  father !  " 

"  Wait  a  minute.  You  spoke  of  heredity  and  en- 
vironment. I  'm  giving  you  all  sides,  except  anything 
more  about  my  mother.  Her  father  was  a  cranky  in- 
ventor. .  .  .  Well,  inside  six  months  we  were  liv- 
ing in  a  tenement.  I  was  a  little  shaver  of  six.  The 
younger  of  my  sisters  was  a  baby.  Talk  about  environ- 
ment !  Was  n't  many  years  before  I  was  known  as  the 
toughest  kid  in  Rat  Alley." 


134          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  Don't  dwell  on  that,  Tom.  Don't  even  speak  of 
it,"  begged  Genevieve. 

He  shook  his  head.  "  I  want  you  to  know  just  what 
I  've  been.  It 's  your  right  to  know.  I  was  n't  one  of 
the  nasty  kind  and  I  was  n't  a  sneak.  But  I  was  the 
leader  of  my  gang.  Maybe  you  know  what  that  means. 
Of  course  the  police  got  it  in  for  me.  Finally  they 
made  it  so  hot  I  had  to  get  out  of  Chicago.  I  took 
to  the  road  —  became  a  bum." 

"  Not  that !  —  surely  not  that ! " 

"  Well,  no,  only  a  kid  hobo.  But  I  'd  have  slid  on 
down  if  I  had  n't  dropped  into  a  camp  of  surveyors 
who  were  heading  off  into  the  mountains  and  had  need 
of  another  man.  Griffith,  the  engineer  in  charge,  talked 
me  into  joining  the  party  as  axman.  I  took  a  fancy 
to  him.  He  proved  himself  the  first  real  friend  I  'd 
ever  had  —  or  was  to  have  till  I  met  Jimmy  Scar- 
bridge." 

"  A  man's  worth  is  measured  by  the  friends  he  makes,'* 
she  observed. 

"  Not  always.  Well,  Griffith  got  me  interested.  I 
joined  the  party.  Whew! —  seven  months  in  the  moun- 
tains, and  not  a  saloon  within  fifty  miles  any  of  the  time. 
But  I  stuck  it  out.  Nobody  ever  called  me  a  quitter." 

"  And  now,  Tom,  you  '11  not  quit !     You  '11  win !  " 

"  I  '11  try  —  for  you,  girlie !  You  can't  guess  how 
that  braces  me  —  the  thought  that  it 's  for  you !  You 
see,  I  'm  beginning  to  count  on  things  now.  I  'm  not 
even  afraid  of  your  money  now.  Good  old  Grif  — 
Griffith,  you  know  —  has  given  me  a  shy  at  a  peach  of  a 
proposition  —  toughest  problem  I  was  ever  up  against. 


THE     DEEPENING     OF     DOUBT     135 

It 's  a  big  irrigation  dam  that  has  f  eazed  half  a  dozen 
good  engineers." 

"  But  you  '11  solve  the  problem !  You  can  do  any- 
thing!" 

"  I  'm  not  so  sure,  Jenny.  I  've  only  begun  to  dig 
into  the  field  books.  Even  if  I  do  make  a  go  of  it  in  the 
end,  chances  are  I  '11  have  to  work  like  —  like  blazes  to 
get  there.  But  that  '11  help  me  on  this  other  fight  — 
help  choke  down  the  craving  when  it  comes.  A  whole 
lot  turns  on  that  dam.  If  I  make  good  on  it,  I  'm  made 
myself.  Tack  up  my  ad.  as  consulting  engineer,  and 
I  '11  have  all  the  work  I  want.  Won't  be  ashamed  to 
look  your  three  millions  in  the  face." 

"  My  money !  Can  you  still  believe  that  counts  with 
me?  Money!  It  is  what  we  are  ourselves  that  counts. 
If  you  acquired  all  the  money  in  the  world,  yes,  and  all 
the  fame,  but  failed  to  master  yourself,  you  'd  not  be 
the  man  I  thought  you  —  the  man  whom  I  —  whom  I 
said  I  loved." 

"  Jenny !     Then  it 's  gone  —  you  no  longer  care  ?  " 

"  You  have  no  right  to  ask  anything  of  me  until 
you  've  — " 

"  I  'm  not,  Jenny !  Don't  think  it  for  a  moment. 
I  'm  not  asking  anything  now.  I  wanted  to  wait.  It 's 
only  that  I  want  you  to  know  how  I  love  you.  I 
would  n't  dream  of  asking  you  to  —  to  marry  me  now 
—  no,  not  till  I  've  won  out,  made  good.  Understand  ? 
All  I  want  is  for  you  to  wait  for  me  till  I  've  made  my 
name  as  an  A-l  engineer  and  until  I  've  downed  that 
cursed  craving  for  drink." 

"  You  will,  Tom  —  you  must!  " 


136          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  With  you  to  back  me,  little  woman !  Yes,  I  guess 
I  can  make  it  this  time,  with  you  waiting  for  me !  " 

Genevieve  met  his  smile  and  enthused  gaze  with  a  look 
of  firm  decision.  Her  doubt  and  hesitancy  had  at  last 
crystallized  into  a  set  purpose.  She  replied  in  a  tone 
that  rang  with  a  hardness  new  to  him :  "  No.  It  must 
be  more  than  that." 

"  More  ?  "  he  asked,  surprised. 

"  More,  much  more.  That  morning,  after  I  so  shame- 
lessly forced  you  to  listen  to  me,  nothing  could  have 
altered  my  purpose  had  you  come  aboard  the  steamer 
with  me." 

"  But  I  could  n't  then.  'T  would  n't  have  been  fair 
to  you." 

"  Yet  it  might  have  been  wise.  Who  knows  ?  At  the 
least,  the  question  would  have  been  settled  '  for  better  or 
for  worse.'  It  is  easier  to  face  the  trouble  which  one 
cannot  escape  than  deliberately  to  make  choice  of  en- 
tering into  the  state  that  may  or  may  not  bring  about 
the  dreaded  misfortune.  Had  you  married  me  then, 
Tom,  I  would  surely  have  been  happy  for  a  time.  But 
now  —  you  have  made  me  believe  that  you  were  right." 

Blake  drew  back  from  her,  his  head  downbent  in  sud- 
den despondency.  "  So  you  've  found  out  you  don't  feel 
the  same?  " 

Her  eyes  dimmed  with  tears  of  compassion  for  him, 
but  her  voice  was  as  firm  as  before.  "  I  loved  Tom 
Blake  because  he  was  so  manly,  so  strong !  I  still  love 
that  Tom  Blake.  You  are  not  sure  that  you  are 
strong." 

"  But  if  I  knew  I  had  your  love  back  of  me,  Jenny !  " 


THE     DEEPENING     OF     DOUBT     1ST 

"  That 's  it  —  you  wish  to  lean  on  me !  It 's  weak ; 
it 's  not  like  you.  You  won  my  love  by  your  courage, 
your  resolution,  your  strength !  All  my  love  for  you  is 
based  on  your  strength.  If  that  fails  —  if  you  prove 
weak  —  how  am  I  to  tell  whether  my  love  will  endure  ?  " 

"  I  '11  win  out.  I  know  I  can  win  out  if  I  have  you  to 
fight  for." 

"  If  you  have  me  to  lean  on !  No ;  you  must  prove 
yourself  stronger  than  that.  I  had  no  doubts  then.  I 
urged  you  to  marry  me  —  flung  myself  at  you.  But 
now,  after  what  I  've  been  forced  to  realize  since  then  — " 

She  stopped  short,  leaving  him  to  infer  the  rest.  He 
took  it  at  the  worst.  He  replied  despairingly  yet  with- 
out a  trace  of  bitterness :  "  Yes,  you  'd  better  take 
Jimmy.  He  's  your  kind." 

"  Tom !  How  can  you  ?  I  've  a  great  esteem  for 
Lord  James,  I  like  him  very  much,  but  — " 

"  He 's  the  right  sort.  You  could  count  on  being 
happy  with  him,"  stated  Blake,  in  seeming  resignation. 
She  looked  at  him,  puzzled  and  hurt  by  his  calmness. 
The  look  fired  him  to  a  passionate  outburst.  "  Don't 
you  think  it,  though !  He  's  not  going  to  have  you  1  I 
can't  give  you  up !  I  'm  going  to  win  you.  My  God ! 
I  love  you  so  much  I  'd  try  to  win  you  —  I  'd  have  to 
win  you,  even  if  I  thought  you  'd  be  unhappy  1 " 

Her  voice  softened  with  responsive  tenderness.  "  Oh, 
Tom,  if  only  I  knew  we  would  have  —  would  have  and 
keep  that  great  love  that  covers  all  things !  I  'd  rather 
be  miserable  with  you  than  happy  without  you ! " 

"  Jenny !  you  do  love  me ! "  he  cried,  advancing  with 
outstretched  arms. 


1S8          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

She  drew  back  from  him.  "  Not  now  —  not  now, 
Tom !  " 

He  smiled,  only  slightly  dashed.  "  Not  now,  but 
when  I  've  made  good.  You  '11  wait  for  me !  I  can 
count  on  that !  " 

"  No,"  she  answered  with  utmost  firmness. 

"  Jenny !  " 

"  I  '11  make  no  promise  —  not  even  a  conditional  one. 
You  must  make  this  fight  without  leaning  on  any  one.  I 
must  know  whether  you  are  strong,  whether  you  are  the 
real  Tom  Blake  I  love." 

"  But  I  'm  not  asking  anything  —  only  in  case  I  make 
good." 

"  No ;  I  '11  not  bind  myself  in  any  way.  I  '11  not 
promise  to  marry  you  even  if  you  should  win.  It  was 
you  who  made  me  wait,  and  now  I  shall  make  sure. 
Unless  I  feel  certain  that  we  would  be  bound  together 
for  all  time  by  the  deepest,  truest  love,  I  know  it  would 
be  a  mistake.  If  I  were  certain,  right  now,  that  you 
lack  the  strength  to  conquer  yourself  for  the  sake  of 
your  own  manhood,  I  would  accept  Lord  James." 

Whether  or  not  the  girl  was  capable  of  such  an  act, 
there  could  be  no  doubt  that  she  meant  what  she  said,  and 
her  tone  carried  conviction  to  Blake.  He  was  silent  for 
a  long  moment.  When  he  replied,  it  was  in  a  voice  dull 
and  heavy  with  despondency.  "  You  don't  realize  what 
you  're  putting  me  up  against." 

"  I  realize  that  you  must  clear  away  all  my  doubt  of 
your  strength,"  she  rejoined,  with  no  lessening  of  her 
firmness.  "  You  were  strong  there  on  that  savage  coast, 
in  the  primitive.  But  you  must  prove  yourself  strong 


THE     DEEPENING    OF     DOUBT 

enough  to  rise  out  of  the  primitive  —  to  rise  to  your 
true,  your  higher  self." 

He  bent  as  if  he  were  being  crushed  under  a  ponder- 
ous weight.  His  voice  dulled  to  a  half  articulate  mur- 
mur. "  You  —  won't  —  help  —  me  ?  " 

"  I  cannot  —  I  dare  not !  "  she  insisted  almost  fiercely. 
"  If  I  did  I  should  doubt.  This  dreadful  fear !  You 
must  prove  you  're  strong !  You  must  master  yourself 
for  the  sake  of  your  own  manhood !  " 

At  last  he  was  forced  to  realize  that  it  was  necessity, 
not  desire,  that  impelled  her  to  thrust  him  from  her. 
He  must  fight  his  hard  battle  alone  —  he  must  fight 
without  even  the  thought  that  he  had  her  sympathy. 

He  should  have  divined  that  she  would  be  secretly 
hoping,  perhaps  praying  for  him,  striving  for  him  in 
spirit  with  all  the  might  of  her  true  love.  But  by  her 
insistence  she  had  at  last  compelled  him  to  doubt  her 
love. 

He  thought  of  the  many  times  that  he  had  gone 
down  in  disgraceful  defeat,  and  black  despair  fell  upon 
him.  His  broad  shoulders  stooped  yet  more. 

"  What 's  the  use  ?  "  he  muttered  thickly. 

But  the  question  itself  served  as  the  goad  to  quicken 
all  his  immense  reserve  of  endurance.  He  looked  up  at 
Genevieve,  heavy-eyed  but  grim  with  determination. 

"  You  don't  know  what  you  've  put  me  up  against," 
he  said.  "  But  I  '11  not  lay  down  yet.  Nobody  ever 
called  me  a  quitter.  You  've  a  right  to  ask  me  to  make 
good.  I  '11  make  a  stagger  at  it.  Good-bye !  " 

He  turned  from  her  and  walked  up  the  room  with  the 
steady  deliberation  of  one  who  bears  a  heavy  burden. 


140         OUT    OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

It  was  almost  more  than  she  could  endure.  She  started 
to  dart  after  him,  and  her  lips  parted  to  utter  an  en- 
treaty for  him  to  come  back  to  her.  But  her  spirit  had 
been  tempered  in  that  fierce  struggle  for  life  on  the  sav- 
age coast  of  Mozambique. 

She  checked  herself,  and  waited  until,  without  a  back- 
ward glance,  he  had  passed  out  through  the  curtained 
doorway.  Then,  and  not  until  then,  she  sank  down  in 
her  chair  and  gave  way  to  the  anguish  of  her  love  and 
doubt  and  dread. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

PLANS  AND  OTHEB  PLANS 

A  QUARTER    after    nine    the    next    morning 
found   Griffith   at   the   door   of   Mr.   Leslie's 
sanctum.     He    stuffed    his     gauntlet    gloves 
into  a  pocket  of  his  old  fur  coat,  and  entered  the  office, 
his  worn,  dark  eyes  vague  with  habitual  abstraction. 

Mr.  Leslie  was  in  the  midst  of  his  phonographic 
dictation.  He  abruptly  stopped  the  machine  and 
whirled  about  in  his  swivel-chair  to  face  the  engineer. 

"Sit  down,"  he  said.     "How's  the  Zariba  Dam?" 

"  No  progress,"  answered  Griffith  with  terse  pre- 
cision. He  sat  down  with  an  air  of  complete  absorp- 
tion in  the  act,  drew  out  an  old  knife  and  his  pipe, 
and  observed :  "  You  did  n't  send  for  me  for  that." 

"How's  the  bridge?" 

"  Same,"  croaked  the  engineer,  beginning  to  scrape 
out  the  bowl  of  his  pipe  with  the  one  unbroken  blade 
of  his  knife. 

"  That  young  fool  still  running  around  town  ?  " 

"  Can't  say.  It  'd  be  a  good  thing  to  have  him  do 
it  all  the  time  if  work  was  going  on.  Had  a  letter 
from  McGraw,  that  man  I  put  in  as  general  foreman. 
He  says  everything  is  frozen  up  tight ;  may  keep  so  for 
two  weeks  or  more." 

141 


142 

"  You  've  laid  off  most  the  force?  " 

"  No,  not  even  the  Slovaks." 

Mr.  Leslie  frowned.  "  Two  or  three  weeks  at  full 
pay,  and  no  work?  That's  an  item." 

"  Hard  enough  to  hold  together  a  competent  force 
on  such  winter  work  as  that,"  rejoined  Griffith.  "  Al- 
most impossible  with  jour  kid-glove  Resident  Engineer. 
I  've  said  nothing  all  this  time ;  but  he 's  made  some 
of  my  best  men  quit  —  bridge  workers  that  've  stayed 
by  me  for  years.  Said  they  could  n't  stand  for  his 
damned  swell-headedness,  not  even  to  oblige  me." 

"  Well,  well,  I  leave  it  to  you.  Do  the  best  you 
can.  It 's  a  bad  bargain,  but  we  've  got  to  go  through 
with  it.  Only  time  the  young  fool  ever  showed  a 
glimmer  of  sense  was  when  he  had  his  father's  lawyers 
drew  his  contract  with  me.  My  lawyers  can't  find  a 
flaw  in  it." 

"  Not  even  diamond  cut  diamond,  eh? "  cackled 
Griffith.  He  ceased  scraping  at  his  pipe  to  peer  in- 
quisitively into  the  bowl.  "  What  I  've  never  been  able 
to  figure  out  is  how  he  happened  to  solve  the  problem 
of  that  central  span.  Don't  think  you  've  ever  realized 
what  a  wonderful  piece  of  work  that  was.  It 's  some- 
thing new.  Must  have  been  a  happy  accident  —  must 
have  come  to  him  in  what  I  'd  call  a  flash  of  intuition 
or  genius.  He  sure  hadn't  it  in  him  to  work  such 
a  thing  out  in  cold  blood." 

"  Genius  ?  —  pah!  "  scoffed  Mr.  Leslie. 

"Hey?"  queried  Griffith,  glancing  up  sharply. 
"What  else,  then?" 

"  I  've    recently    been    given    reason    to    suspect  — " 


PLANS     AND     OTHER     PLANS        143 

began  Mr.  Leslie.  He  paused,  hesitated,  and  re- 
frained. "  But  we  '11  talk  of  that  later.  First,  my 
reason  for  sending  for  you.  I  understand  that  you 
know  this  man  Blake,  who,  unfortunately,  was  the  per- 
son that  saved  my  daughter." 

Griffith  replied  with  rather  more  than  his  usual  dry- 
ness.  "  If  I  've  got  a  correct  estimate  of  what  Miss 
Leslie  had  to  be  pulled  through,  it 's  lucky  that  Tom 
Blake  was  the  man.'* 

"  You  've  a  higher  opinion  of  him  than  I  have." 

"  We  've  worked  together." 

"  He  's  in  your  office  now,"  snapped  Mr.  Leslie. 

"  Yes,  and  he  stays  there  long  as  he  wants,"  re- 
joined Griffith  in  a  quiet  matter-of-fact  tone.  "It's 
your  privilege  to  hire  another  consulting  engineer." 

Mr.  Leslie  brought  his  shaggy  eyebrows  together 
in  a  perplexed  frown.  "  Must  say,  I  can't  understand 
how  the  fellow  makes  such  friends.  Your  case  is 
hardly  less  puzzling  than  that  of  the  Earl  of  Avondale." 

"  Hey  ?  Oh,  you  mean  young  Scarbridge.  He 
seems  to  be  one  of  the  right  sort  —  even  if  he  is  the 
son  of  a  duke.  But  if  Tommy  hadn't  introduced  him 
as  a  friend — " 

"  We  're  talking  about  Blake,"  interrupted  Mr.  Les- 
lie. "  I  want  your  help." 

"Well?"  asked  Griffith  warily. 

"  He  has  put  me  under  obligations,  and  refuses  to 
accept  any  reward  from  me.  It 's  intolerable !  " 

"  Won't  accept  anything,  eh  ?  Well,  if  he  says  he 
won't,  he  won't.  No  use  butting  your  head  against  a 
concrete  wall." 


144          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  He  »s  a  fool !  " 

"  I  'd  hardly  agree  as  to  that.  He  does  n't  always 
do  as  people  expect  him  to.  Same  time,  he  usually 
has  a  reason." 

"  But  for  him  to  refuse  to  take  either  cash  or  a  posi- 
tion !  " 

"  I  notice,  though,  he  drew  his  pay-check  for  the 
Q.  T.  survey.  No ;  Tommy  is  n't  altogether  a  fool  — 
not  altogether." 

"  Twenty-five-thousand-dollar  position !  "  rasped  Mr. 
Leslie. 

"Hey?" 

"  Offered  him  that,  and  — " 

"  You  offered  him  —  ?  "  echoed  Griffith,  his  lean, 
creased  face  almost  grotesque  with  astonishment. 

"  Think  I  don't  value  my  daughter's  life  ?  "  snapped 
Mr.  Leslie.  "  I  was  ready  to  do  that  and  far  more  for 
him.  He  refused  —  not  only  refused  but  insulted 
me." 

Griffith  peered  intently  into  the  angry  face  of  his 
employer.  "  Insulted  you,  eh?  Guess  you  prodded 
him  up  first." 

"  I  admit  I  had  rather  misjudged  him  in  some  re- 
spects." 

"  So  you  gave  him  the  gaff,  eh?  —  and  got  it  back 
harder !  "  cackled  Griffith. 

"  He  shall  be  compelled  to  accept  what  I  owe  him, 
indirectly,  if  not  directly.  You  have  given  him  work  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  You  've,  of  course,  told  him  that  I  'm  the  Coville 
Construction  Company." 


PLANS     AND     OTHER     PLANS       145 

"  Not  yet." 

"  What !     You  're  certain  of  that?  " 

Griffith  nodded.  "  He  sailed  into  me,  first  thing, 
for  taking  work  from  you.  To  ease  him  off,  I  said 
the  Coville  Company  had  taken  over  the  bridge  from 
you.  The  matter  has  n't  happened  to  come  up  again 
since." 

"  You  're  certain  he  does  n't  know  I  'm  interested  in 
the  company  ?  " 

"  Not  unless  somebody  else  has  told  him." 

"  Then  —  let 's  see  —  We  '11  appoint  him  Assist- 
ant Resident  Engineer  on  the  bridge." 

"  He  '11  not  take  it  under  young  Ashton." 

"  Not  if  his  salary  is  put  at  twenty-five  thousand  ?  " 

"  As  Assistant  Engineer?  "  said  Griffith,  incredulous. 

"  You'll  be  too  busy  with  my  other  pro j  ects  to  keep 
up  these  visits  to  Michamac.  Besides,  you  said  the 
bridge  is  coming  to  the  crucial  point  of  construction." 

"  That  central  span,"  confirmed  Griffith. 

"  If  you  consider  Blake  sufficiently  reliable,  you  can 
give  him  detailed  instructions  and  send  him  up  to  take 
charge." 

"  How  about  Ashton's  contract  ?  " 

"  He  '11  be  satisfied  with  the  glory.  Reports  will  con- 
tinue to  name  him  as  Resident  Engineer.  If  he  won't 
listen  to  reason,  I  '11  ask  his  father  to  drop  him  a  line. 
The  young  fool  has  had  his  allowance  cut  twice  already. 
He  'd  consider  his  pay  as  engineer  a  bare  pittance." 

"Heir  to  the  Ashton  millions,  eh?"  croaked  Grif- 
fith. 

"  If  I  know   George    Ashton,  he  has   a   good   safe 


146          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

will  drawn,  providing  that  his  fortune  is  to  be  held  in 
trust.  That  fool  boy  won't  have  any  chance  to 
squander  more  than  his  allowance, —  and  he  won't 
keep  me  now  from  paying  off  this  obligation  to  Blake." 

"  Perhaps  not.  I  'm  not  so  sure,  though,  that  Tom 
will  —  One  thing 's  certain.  He  won't  go  up  to 
Michamac  right  away." 

"  He  won't?  Why  not?  It 's  just  the  time  for  him 
to  get  the  run  of  things,  now  while  there's  no  work 
going  on." 

"  He  'd  catch  on  quick  enough.  It 's  not  that. 
Fact  is,  he  's  got  hold  of  something  a  lot  bigger,  and 
I  know  he  '11  not  quit  till  he  has  either  won  out  or  it 
has  downed  him.  Never  knew  of  but  one  thing  that 
ever  downed  him." 

Mr.  Leslie  glared  at  the  engineer,  his  face  reddening 
with  rage. 

"  Something  bigger !  "  he  repeated.  "  So  the  fellow 
has  bragged  about  it !  " 

Griffith  stared  back,  perplexed  by  the  other's  sudden 
heat.  "  Guess  we  've  got  our  wires  crossed,"  he  said. 
"  I  told  him,  of  course.  He  did  n't  know  anything 
about  it." 

"  What  you  talking  about?  "  demanded  Mr.  Leslie, 
puzzled  in  turn. 

"  The  Zariba  Dam." 

"  That ! "  exclaimed  Mr.  Leslie,  and  his  face  cleared. 
"  H'm,—  what  about  the  dam?  " 

"  I  had  about  thrown  it  up.  I  'm  giving  Tom  a  go 
at  it." 

Mr.     Leslie's     eyebrows     bristled    in    high     curves. 


PLANS     AND     OTHER     PLANS       147 

"  What !  wasting  time  with  a  man  like  that?  If  you  've 
given  it  up,  we  '11  try  England  or  Europe." 

"  No  use.  Plenty  of  good  men  over  there.  They 
can  give  us  pointers  on  some  things.  But  if  they  've 
ever  done  anything  just  like  this  Zariba  Dam,  they  've 
kept  it  out  of  print." 

"  But  an  unknown  second-rate  engineer !  " 

"  That 's  what 's  said  of  every  first-rater  till  he  gets 
his  chance." 

"  You  're  serious  ?  " 

"  I  don't  guarantee  he  can  do  it.  I  do  say,  I  won't 
be  any  too  surprised  if  he  pulls  it  off.  It 's  a  thing 
that  calls  for  invention.  He  '11  swear  he  has  n't  an 
ounce  of  it  in  him  —  says  he  just  happens  to  blunder  on 
things,  or  applies  what  he  has  picked  up.  All  gas ! 
He  once  showed  me  some  musty  old  drawings  that  made 
it  look  like  one  of  his  grandfathers  ought  to  be  credited 
with  the  basic  inventions  of  a  dozen  machines  that 
to-day  are  making  the  owners  of  the  patent-rights 
rich.  Guess  some  of  that  grandfather's  bump  can  be 
located  on  Tom's  head." 

"  Inventor  —  h'm  —  inventor ! "  muttered  Mr.  Les- 
lie half  to  himself.  "  That  puts  rather  a  different  face 
on  that  bridge  matter." 

"  As  how  ?  "  casually  asked  Griffith,  beginning  to 
scrape  afresh  at  his  pipe-bowl. 

Mr.  Leslie  considered,  and  replied  with  another  ques- 
tion :  "  At  the  time  of  the  competition  in  plans  for 
the  bridge,  did  you  know  that  Blake  was  to  be  a  con- 
testant? " 

"  He  writes  letters  about  as  often  as  a  hen  gets  a 


148          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

tooth  pulled.  But  I  got  a  letter  the  time  you  men- 
tion,—  a  dozen  lines  or  so,  with  another  added, 
saying  that  he  was  in  for  a  whirl  at  the  Michamac 
cantilever." 

"You've  shown  him  Ashton's  bridge  plans?" 

"  Not  yet.  He  's  been  too  busy  on  the  Zariba  field 
books." 

"  You  've  seen  his  own  plans  for  the  bridge  ?  " 

"  No.     They  were  lost." 

"  The  originals,  I  mean  —  his  preliminary  copy. 
He  must  have  kept  something." 

"  Yes.  But  I  guess  they  're  pretty  wet  by  now," 
replied  Griffith,  his  face  crackling  with  dry  humor. 
"  They  're  aboard  that  steamer,  down  on  the  African 
coast.  If  you  want  to  see  them,  you  might  finance  a 
wrecking  expedition.  But  Tom  says  she  went  down 
mast-under,  and  there  are  plenty  of  sharks  nosing 
along  the  coral  reef." 

Mr.  Leslie  winced  at  the  word  sharks,  and  reluc- 
tantly admitted :  "I  've  had  a  long  talk  with  my 
daughter.  He  played  the  part  of  a  man.  I  acknowl- 
edge that  I  've  held  a  strong  prejudice  against  him. 
It  seems,  however,  that  in  part  I  've  been  mistaken." 

"  Now  you  're  talking,  Mr.  Leslie !  " 

"  Only  in  part,  I  say  —  about  his  lost  bridge  plans. 
I  had  thought  he  was  trying  to  blackmail  me." 

"  More  apt  to  be  a  black  eye,  if  you  let  him  know 
you  thought  that,"  was  Griffith's  dry  comment. 

"  He  came  near  to  resorting  to  violence.  As  I  look 
at  it  now,  I  can't  say  I  blame  him.  Those  bridge 
plans,  though —  Knowing  this  about  his  inventive- 


PLANS     AND     OTHER     PLANS        149 

ness,  has  it  not  occurred  to  you  that  his  plans  may  not 
have  been  lost,  after  all?  " 

"  Look  here,  Mr.  Leslie,"  said  Griffith,  rising  with 
the  angularity  of  a  jumping-jack,  "we've  rubbed 
along  pretty  smooth  since  we  got  together  last  year; 
but  Tom  Blake  is  my  friend." 

"  Sit  down !  sit  down !  "  insisted  Mr.  Leslie.  "  You 
ought  to  see  by  this  time  that  I  'm  trying  to  prove 
myself  anything  but  an  enemy  to  him." 

Griffith  sat  down  and  began  mechanically  to  load  his 
pipe  with  the  formidable  Durham.  Mr.  Leslie  put 
the  tips  of  his  fingers  together,  coughed,  and  went  on 
in  a  lowered  tone.  "Those  plans  disappeared.  His 
charge  was  preposterous,  ridiculous  —  as  against  me. 
Yet  if  the  plans  were  not  lost,  what  became  of  them? 
He  told  me  yesterday  that  he  himself  handed  them  to 
the  person  who  was  at  that  time  acting  as  my  secretary. 
You  catch  the  point?  " 

"  Um-m,"  grunted  Griffith,  his  face  as  emotionless  as 
a  piece  of  crackled  wood. 

"  Young  Ashton  was  my  secretary.  He  resigned 
the  next  day.  Said  he  had  been  secretly  working  on 
plans  for  the  Michamac  cantilever;  thought  he  had 
solved  the  problem  of  the  central  span ;  might  go  ahead 
and  put  in  his  plans  if  none  of  the  competitors  were 
awarded  the  bridge.  Within  a  month  he  did  put  in 
plans." 

"Well?"  queried  Griffith. 

"  Don't  you  make  the  connection  ?  "  demanded  Mr. 
Leslie.  "  Blake  handed  his  plans  to  Ashton,  and  took 
no  receipt.  The  plans  disappeared.  Ashton  leaves; 


150          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

comes  back  in  a  month  with  plans  that  he  has  n't  the 
skill  to  apply  in  the  construction  of  the  bridge  — 
plans  include  an  entirely  new  modification  of  bridge 
trusses  —  stroke  of  inventive  genius,  you  called  it." 

Griffith's  lean  jaw  dropped.  "You  —  you  don't 
mean  to  say  he  —  the  son  of  George  Ashton  —  that 
he  could  —  God  A'mighty,  he 's  heir  to  twenty 
millions ! " 

"  You  don't  believe  it?  Suppose  you  knew  he  was 
about  to  be  cut  off  without  a  cent?  George  had  stood 
about  all  he  could  from  the  young  fool.  Those  bridge 
plans  came  in  just  in  time  to  prevent  the  drawing  of  a 
new  will." 

The  hand  in  which  Griffith  held  his  pipe  shook  as 
if  he  had  been  seized  with  a  fever  chill,  but  his  voice 
was  dry  and  emotionless.  "  That  accounts  for  those 
queer  slips  and  errors  in  the  plans.  He  could  n't  even 
make  an  accurate  copy,  and  was  too  much  afraid  of 
being  found  out  to  take  time  to  cheek  Tom's  drawings. 
Jammed  them  into  his  fireplace  soon 's  he  'd  finished. 
The  thief!  — the  infernal  thief !  — the —  !"  Grif- 
fith spat  out  a  curse  that  made  even  Mr.  Leslie  start. 

"Good  Lord,  Griffith,"  he  remonstrated.  "That's 
the  first  time  I  ever  heard  you  swear." 

"  I  keep  it  for  dirt!  .  .  .  Well,  what  you  going 
to  do  about  it?  " 

"  I  am  going  to  have  you  show  Ashton's  plans  to 
Blake.  If  he  recognizes  them  as  a  copy  of  his  own  — " 

"  Better  get  ready  to  ship  Laffie  out  of  the  country. 
Once  saw  Tom  manhandle  a  brute  who  was  beating  his 
wife  —  one  of  those  husky  saloon  bouncers.  The  wife 


PLANS     AND     OTHER     PLANS       151 

had  a  month's  nursing  to  do.  Tom  will  pound  that  — 
that  sneak  to  pulp." 

"  Show  him  the  plans.  If  he  recognizes  them,  I  '11 
let  the  thief  know  he  has  been  found  out.  He  '11  run, 
and  we  '11  be  rid  of  him  without  any  scandal.  We  '11 
arrange  for  Blake  to  get  the  credit  for  the  bridge, 
after  a  time.  George  Ashton  and  I  are  rather  close 
together.  I  don't  want  him  to  be  hit  harder  than  's 
necessary." 

"  Say,  Mr.  Leslie,  I  don't  mind  admitting  you  are 
square !  "  exclaimed  Griffith.  "  You  don't  like  Tom, 
and  you  know  he  has  n't  a  line  of  proof.  It  would  be 
only  his  word  against  Laffie's.  Unknown  engineer  try- 
ing to  blackmail  the  son  of  George  Ashton.  You 
know  what  would  be  said." 

"  I  told  you,  I  owe  him  a  debt.  I  intend  to  pay  it 
in  full." 

"  One  thing  though,"  cautioned  Griffith.  "  Even  a 
cornered  rat  will  fight.  There  's  the  chance  that  Laffie 
may  not  run.  He  'd  be  a  drivelling  idiot  if  he  did, 
with  his  father's  millions  at  stake.  Don't  forget  we  've 
no  proof.  It  won't  look  even  possible  to  outsiders. 
Suppose  I  hold  off  showing  Tom  those  plans  till  we 
see  if  he  can  make  it  on  the  Zariba  Dam?  If  he  pulls 
that  off,  no  engineer  in  the  U.  S.  will  doubt  his  claims 
to  the  bridge." 

"  That  means  a  delay,"  said  Mr.  Leslie  irritably. 
"  My  first  plan  was  to  send  Blake  to  Michamac  at  once." 

"  Lord !  With  one  cantilever  finished  and  the  other 
out  to  the  central  span  —  if  it 's  Tom's  bridge,  he  'd 
recognize  it  as  quick  as  his  plans.  And  if  he  did  — 


152          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

well,  I  'd  not  answer  for  what  would  happen  to  that 
damn  thief." 

"  H'm  —  perhaps  you  're  right,"  considered  Mr. 
Leslie.  He  thought  a  moment,  and  added  with  quick 
decision,  "  Very  well.  Keep  him  on  at  the  dam.  What 
are  you  paying  him  ?  " 

"  Two  hundred." 

"  Double  it." 

"  No  go.     He  'd  suspect  something." 

"Suspect,  would  he?  H'm  —  several  expert  engi- 
neers have  failed  on  that  dam.  If  it  can  be  put 
through,  the  project  will  net  me  a  half -million.  Ten 
per  cent  of  my  profits  might  stimulate  you  engineers. 
I  offer  fifty  thousand  dollars  as  reward  to  the  man  who 
solves  the  problem  of  the  Zariba  Dam." 

"  Say,  that 's  going  some !  "  commented  Griffith. 

"  Plain  business  proposition.  If  I  can't  get  it  done 
for  wages,  it  is  cheaper  to  pay  a  bonus  than  to  have 
the  project  fail." 

"Good  way  to  put  it,"  admitted  Griffith.  "Don't 
just  know,  though,  what  I  '11  do  with  all  that  money." 

"  You?     Thought  you  said  that  Blake — " 

"  D'  you  suppose  he  'd  take  a  cent  of  it?  He  's 
working  for  me." 

"  But  if  he  does  the  work?  " 

"  He  might  accept  the  credit.  The  cash  would  come 
to  me,  if  he  had  to  cram  it  down  my  throat.  He  won't 
touch  your  money." 

"  Crazy  fool !  "  rasped  Mr.  Leslie.  Again  he  paused 
to  consider,  and  again  he  spoke  with  quick  decision. 
"The  Coville  Company  takes  over  the  project.  I  don't 


PLANS     AND     OTHER     PLANS       153 

believe  the  dam  can  be  built ;  I  'm  tired  of  the  whole 
thing.  So  I  unload  on  the  Coville  Company.  You 
see?  The  company  offers  the  fifty  thousand  bonus 
as  a  last  hope.  It  hires  Blake  direct  on  some  of  its 
routine  work.  You  insist  that  he  try  for  the  dam, 
between  times." 

"  That  'a  the  ticket ! "  said  Griffith.  "  We  '11  try  it 
on  him." 

"  Then  call  by  the  Coville  office.  I  '11  phone  over  for 
them  to  have  the  transfer  made  and  a  letter  waiting  for 
you,"  said  Mr.  Leslie,  and  he  jerked  out  his  watch. 

Griffith  rose  at  the  signal.  He  fumbled  for  a 
moment  with  his  hat  and  gloves,  and  spoke  with  a 
queer  catch  in  his  voice.  "  I  'd  like  to  —  let  you  know 
how  I  —  appreciate  — " 

"  No  call  for  it !  no  call  for  it ! "  broke  in  Mr.  Les- 
lie. "  Good-day ! " 

He  whirled  about  to  his  desk  and  caught  up  the  re- 
ceiver of  one  of  his  private-line  telephones. 


BETWEEN    FRIENDS 

LORD    JAMES    sauntered    into    the    office    of 
Griffiths,    C.E.,   and   inquired  for  Mr.   Blake. 
The    clerk   stared   in   vague   recognition,    and 
answered  that  Mr.  Blake  was  busy.     Nothing  daunted, 
the  visitor  crossed  to  the  door  toward  which  the  clerk 
had  glanced. 

When  he  entered,  he  found  Blake  in  his  shirtsleeves, 
humped  over  a  small  desk.  He  was  intently  absorbed 
in  comparing  the  figures  of  two  field  books  and  in 
making  little  pencil  diagrams. 

"Hello,  old  man.  What's  the  good  word?"  sang 
out  his  lordship. 

Blake  nodded  absently,  and  went  on  with  his  last 
diagram.  When  he  had  finished  it,  he  looked  up  and 
perceived  his  friend  standing  graceful  and  debonair  in 
the  centre  of  the  room. 

"  Why,  hello,  Jimmy,"  he  said,  as  if  only  just  aware 
of  the  other's  presence.  "  Can't  you  find  a  chair?  " 

"How's  the  dam?" 

"  Dam  'fi  'no,"  punned  Blake.  He  slapped  his  pen- 
cil down  on  the  desk,  and  flung  up  his  arms  to  stretch 
his  cramped  body. 

"  You    need     a    breather,"     advised    Lord    James. 
154. 


BETWEEN     FRIENDS  155 

"  Young  Ashton  came  'round  to  my  hotel  last  evening. 
Wanted  me  to  go  to  some  bally  musical  comedy  —  little 
supper  afterward  with  two  of  the  show-girls  —  all 
that.  I  had  another  engagement.  He  then  asked  me 
to  drop  around  this  morning  and  take  my  pick  of  his 
stable.  Wants  me  to  ride  one  of  his  mounts  while 
I  'm  here,  you  know.  Suppose  you  come  up-town  with 
me  and  help  me  pick  out  a  beast." 

"  No,"  said  Blake.  "  Less  I  see  of  that  papa's  boy 
the  better  I  '11  like  him." 

"  Oh,  but  as  a  fellow-engineer,  y'  know,"  minced 
Lord  James. 

"  You  love  him  'bout  as  much  as  I  do." 

Lord  James  adjusted  the  pink  carnation  in  his  lapel, 
and  casually  remarked :  "  You  '11  be  calling  at  the 
Leslies'  this  afternoon,  I  daresay." 

"  No,"  said  Blake. 

"  Indeed? "  exclaimed  the  younger  man.  He 
flushed  and  gazed  confusedly  at  Blake,  pleased  on  his 
own  account,  yet  none  the  less  distressed  for  his  friend. 

Blake  explained  the  situation  with  sober  friendliness. 
"  It 's  all  up  in  the  air,  Jimmy.  I  've  got  to  make 
good,  and  she  won't  promise  anything  even  if  I  suc- 
ceed." 

"  Not  even  if  you  succeed?  "  Lord  James  was  be- 
wildered. 

"  Can't  say  I  blame  her,  since  I  've  had  time  to  think 
it  over,"  said  Blake.  "  If  it  was  you,  for  instance, 
she  might  have  a  show  to  get  some  happiness  out  of  life, 
even  with  the  whiskey.  But  think  of  her  tied  up  to 
me,  whiskey  or  no  whiskey  !  " 


156          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  You  '11  down  the  habit  this  time,  old  man." 

Blake  smiled  ironically.  "  That 's  what  you  've  said 
every  time.  It 's  what  I  've  said  myself,  every  time 
since  I  woke  up  to  what  the  cursed  sprees  meant.  No ; 
don't  be  afraid.  You  '11  have  your  chance  soon 
enough.  She  has  cut  me  clean  off  from  outside  help. 
She  would  n't  even  give  me  so  much  as  a  '  good  luck  to 
you  ' ! " 

"  She  would  n't  ?  But  of  course  you  know  that  she 
wishes  it." 

"  Does  she  ?  But  that 's  not  the  point.  She  's  made 
me  believe  she  is  n't  sure  of  her  —  of  her  feelings 
toward  me.  Don't  think  I  blame  her.  I  don't.  She  's 
right.  If  I  can't  stand  up  and  fight  it  out  and  win, 
without  being  propped  up  by  my  friends,  I  ought  to 
lose  out.  I  *m  not  fit  to  marry  any  woman  —  much  less 
her." 

Lord  James  tugged  and  twisted  at  his  mustache,  and 
at  last  brought  out  his  reply :  "  Now,  I  —  I  say,  you 
look  here,  old  chap,  you  've  got  to  win  this  time.  It 
means  her,  y'  know.  You  must  win." 

"  Jimmy,"  stated  Blake,  his  eyes  softening,  "  you  're 
the  limit ! " 

"  You  're  not !  "  flashed  back  his  friend.  "  There  's 
no  limit  to  you  —  to  what  you  can  do." 

"  Heap  of  good  it  does  —  your  saying  it,"  grumbled 
Blake. 

"  This  —  er  —  situation  won't  prevent  your  calling 
at  the  Leslies',  I  hope." 

"  I  'm  not  so  sure,"  considered  Blake.     "  Leastways 


BETWEEN     FRIENDS  157 

you  won't  see  me  there  till  I  begin  to  think  I  see  a  way 
to  figure  out  this  dam." 

Lord  James  swung  a  leg  over  the  corner  of  the  desk 
and  proceeded  to  light  a  cigarette.  Through  the  haze 
of  the  first  two  puffs  he  squinted  across  at  the  glum  face 
of  his  friend,  and  said :  "  Don't  be  an  ass.  She  has  n't 
told  you  not  to  call." 

"  No,"  admitted  Blake.  "  Just  the  same,  she  said  she 
would  n't  give  me  any  help." 

"  That  does  n't  bar  you  from  calling.  The  sight  of 
her  will  keep  you  keen." 

"  I  tell  you,  I  'm  not  going  near  her  house  till  I 
think  I  've  a  show  to  make  good  on  this  dam." 

"  Then  you  '11  lunch  with  me  and  make  an  early  call 
at  the  Gantrys'.  Miss  Dolores  requested  me  to  give 
you  an  urgent  invitation." 

"  Excuse  me!  "  said  Blake.  "  No  High  Society  in 
mine." 

"You'll  come,"  confidently  rejoined  his  friend. 
"  You  owe  it  to  Miss  Genevieve." 

Blake  frowned  and  sat  for  some  moments  studying  the 
point.  Lord  James  had  him  fast. 

"  Guess  you  've  nailed  me  for  once,"  he  at  last  ad- 
mitted. "  Rather  have  a  tooth  pulled,  though." 

"  I  say,  now,  you  got  along  swimmingly  at  Ruthby." 

"  With  your  father.  He  was  n't  a  Chicago  society 
dame." 

"  Oh,  well,  you  must  make  allowances  for  the  madam. 
Miss  Dolores  explained  to  me  that  '  Vievie  has  only  to 
meet  people  in  order  to  be  received,  but  mamma  has  to 


158          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

keep  butting  in  to  arrive  —  that 's  why  she  cultivates 
her  grand  air.' ' 

"  No  sham  about  Miss  Dolores ! "  approved  Blake. 

"Right-o!  You'll  come,  I  take  it.  What  if  the 
dragon  does  have  rather  a  frosty  stare  for  you?  She 
said  I  might  bring  you  to  call.  Seriously,  Tom,  you 
must  learn  to  meet  her  without  showing  that  her  manner 
flecks  you.  Best  kind  of  training  for  society.  As  I 
said  just  now,  you  owe  it  to  Miss  Genevieve." 

"  Well  —  long  as  you  put  it  that  way,"  muttered 
Blake. 

"  You  '11  get  along  famously  with  Miss  Dolores,  I  'm 
sure,"  said  Lord  James.  "  She 's  quite  a  charming 
girl, —  vivacious  and  all  that,  you  know.  She  's  taken 
quite  a  fancy  to  you.  The  mother  is  one  of  those  silly 
climbers  who  never  look  below  the  surface.  You  have 
twice  my  moral  stamina,  but  just  because  I  happen  to 
have  a  title  and  some  polish  — " 

"  Don't  try  to  gloze  it  over,"  cut  in  Blake.  "  Let 's 
have  it  straight.  You  're  a  thoroughbred.  I  'm  a 
broncho." 

"  Mistaken  metaphor,"  rejoined  his  friend.  "  I  'm  a 
well-bred  nonentity.  You  're  a  diamond  in  the  rough. 
When  once  you  've  been  cut  and  polished  — " 

"  Then  the  flaws  will  show  up  in  great  shape,"  gibed 
Blake. 

"  Never  think  it,  old  man !  There  is  only  one  flaw, 
and  that  will  disappear  with  the  one  cutting  required  to 
bring  the  stone  to  the  best  possible  shape." 

"Stow  it!"  ordered  Blake.  The  rattling  of  the 
doorknob  drew  his  gaze  about.  "  Here  's  Grif ,  back  at 


BETWEEN     FRIENDS  159 

last.  He 's  been  to  chin  with  Papa  Leslie."  He 
squinted  aggressively  at  the  older  engineer,  who  entered 
with  his  usual  air  of  seeming  absorption  in  the  per- 
formance of  his  most  trivial  actions.  "  Hello,  you 
Injin!  Gone  into  partnership  with  H.  V.?  You've 
been  there  all  morning." 

"  Other  way  'round,  if  anything,"  answered  Griffith. 
He  nodded  cordially  in  response  to  the  greeting  of  Lord 
James,  and  began  rummaging  in  his  pockets  as  he  came 
over  to  the  desk.  "Now,  where 's  that  letter?  Hey? 
—  Oh,  here  it  is."  He  drew  out  a  long  envelope,  and 
started  to  open  it  in  a  precise,  deliberate  manner. 

"  So  he  fired  you,  eh?  "  rallied  Blake. 

"  In  a  way,"  said  Griffith,  peering  at  the  paper  in  his 
hand.  "  It  seems  he 's  unloaded  the  Zariba  project 
onto  the  Coville  Company." 

"  Thought  it  could  n't  be  put  through,  eh  ?  "  said 
Blake.  "  Bet  he  did  n't  let  it  go  for  nothing,  though." 

"  It 's  not  often  he  comes  out  at  the  little  end  of  the 
horn,"  replied  Griffith.  "  Did  n't  take  the  Coville  peo- 
ple long  to  wake  up  to  the  situation.  Look  here." 

Blake  took  the  opened  letter,  which  was  headed  with 
the  name  and  officers  of  the  Coville  Construction  Com- 
pany. He  read  it  through  with  care,  whistled,  and  read 
it  through  the  second  time. 

"  Well,  what  you  think  of  it?  "  impatiently  demanded 
Griffith. 

"  Whee!  They  sure  must  think  H.  V.  has  left  them 
to  hold  the  bag.  Fifty  thousand  bonus  to  the  engineer 
that  shows  'em  how  the  dam  can  be  built !  " 

"  Strict  business,"  croaked  Griffith.     "  The  company 


160 

is  stuck  if  they  quit.  Fifty  thousand  is  only  ten  per 
cent  of  their  net  profits  if  the  project  goes  through. 
Wish  I  had  a  show  at  it." 

"  Well,  have  n't  you  ?     It  says  any  engineer." 

"  I  had  quit  before  you  came,  only  I  did  n't  like  to 
own  up  to  H.  V." 

*'  You  need  n't  yet  a  while.  I  '11  keep  digging  away 
at  it.  If  I  put  it  through,  we  diwy  up.  I  'm  working 
for  you.  See?" 

"  Not  on  your  life,  Tommy !  I  don't  smouge  on 
another  man's  work." 

"  Well,  then,  we  '11  say  I  'm  to  split  it  because  you 
put  me  next  to  the  chance." 

"  No  go.  I  've  no  use  for  three-fourths  of  what 
I  'm  making  nowadays.  It 's  just  piling  up  on  me. 
Look  here.  I  happened  to  speak  about  you  to  the 
Coville  people  —  looking  ahead,  you  know.  They 
want  me  to  try  you  out  on  some  work  I  'm  too  busy  to 
do  myself.  It 's  not  much,  and  they  offer  only  one- 
fifty  a  month  as  a  starter,  but  it  may  lead  to  something 
better  than  I  can  do  for  you." 

"  Yes,  that 's  so,"  considered  Blake. 

"  It  is  checking  field  work  reports  that  come  in  slowly 
this  time  of  year.  That 's  the  only  trouble.  You  '11 
be  sitting  around  doing  nothing  half  the  time  —  that 
is,  unless  you  're  fool  enough  to  waste  any  more  time 
on  this  dam'  dam." 

"Waste  time?"  cried  Blake,  his  eyes  flashing. 
"  Watch  me !  Wait  till  you  get  your  next  bill  for  elec- 
tric lights !  You  've  given  me  my  cue,  Grif .  I  'm 
going  to  buck  through  this  little  proposition  in  one- 


BETWEEN     FRIENDS  161 

two-three  style,  grab  my  fifty  thousand,  and  plunge 
into  the  New  York  Four  Hundred  as  Tommy  Van 
Damdam.  Clear  out,  you  hobos.  I  'm  going  to 
work ! " 

"  Don't  forget  I  've  got  you  on  for  lunch  and  Mrs. 
Gantry's,"  reminded  Lord  James. 

Blake  paused,  pencil  in  hand.  "  Aw,  say,  Jimmy, 
you  '11  have  to  let  me  off  now." 

"  Can't  do  it,  old  man,  really." 

"  At  least  that  infernal  call." 

"  No,  you  've  got  to  get  used  to  it.  Tell  you  what, 
I  '11  let  you  off  on  the  lunch  if  you  '11  be  at  my  hotel 
at  four  sharp.  Don't  squirm.  That  gives  you  as 
many  hours  to  grind  as  are  good  for  you  at  one  stretch. 
If  you  try  to  funk  it,  I  '11  hold  you  for  both  lunch  and 
call.  Your  social  progress  is  on  my  conscience." 

"  Huh !  "  rejoined  Blake.  "  Don't  wish  you  any  hard 
luck,  but  if  you  and  your  conscience  were  in  — " 

"  Four  sharp,  remember ! "  put  in  Lord  James, 
dodging  from  the  room. 

Griffith  followed  him  closely  and  shut  the  door. 

"  I  'm  not  so  busy,  Mr.  Scarb ridge.  Step  into  my 
private  office  and  have  a  cigar,"  he  invited,  and  as  Lord 
James  hesitated,  he  added  in  a  lower  tone,  "  Want  your 
idea  about  him." 

Lord  James  at  once  went  with  the  engineer  into  his 
office. 

"  You  wish  to  speak  about  Tom  ?  "  he  said. 

"Yes.  Did  you  notice  that  look  about  his  eyes? 
It 's  the  first  sign." 

"  Oh,  no !  let  us  hope  not,  Mr.  Griffith.     I  happen  to 


162          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

know  he  has  suffered  a  severe  disappointment.  It  may 
be  that." 

"  Well,  maybe.  I  hope  so,"  said  Griffith  dubiously. 
With  innate  delicacy,  he  refrained  from  any  inquiry  as 
to  the  nature  of  Blake's  disappointment.  As  he 
handed  out  his  box  of  cigars,  he  went  on,  "  I  don't 
quite  like  it,  though.  He  's  a  glutton  for  field  work, 
but  this  indoors  figuring  soon  sets  him  on  edge.  He 
can't  stand  being  cooped  up." 

"  Count  on  me  to  do  all  I  can  to  get  him  out." 

"  Yes,  I  'm  figuring  on  you,  Mr.  Scarbridge.  He  's 
told  me  all  about  you.  Between  the  two  of  us,  we 
might  stave  it  off  and  keep  him  going  for  months. 
Wish  I  knew  more  about  the  girl  —  Miss  Leslie.  If 
she  's  the  right  sort,  there  's  just  a  chance  of  something 
being  done  that  I  gave  up  as  being  impossible,  last  time 
he  was  with  me  —  he  might  be  straightened  out  for 
good." 

"  It 's  possible,  quite  possible !  Others  have  been 
cured,  —  why  not  he?  "  exclaimed  Lord  James,  his  face 
aglow  with  boyish  enthusiasm.  But  as  suddenly  it 
clouded.  "  Ah,  though,  most  unfortunate  —  this  stand 
of  Miss  Leslie's !  " 

"  What  about  her?  "  queried  Griffith,  as  the  other  hesi- 
tated. 

"  She  has  told  him  that  he  must  win  out  absolutely 
on  his  own  strength,  without  her  aid  or  sympathy." 

"Well,  I'll  be  —  switched!  Thought  she  loved 
him." 

Lord  James  flushed,  yet  answered  without  hesitancy. 


BETWEEN     FRIENDS  163 

"  It  is  to  be  presumed  she  does,  otherwise  she  would  not 
have  forced  this  test  upon  him." 

"  How  d'  you  make  that  out  ?  " 

"  Mere  grateful  interest  in  his  welfare  would  have 
been  satisfied  by  the  assurance  of  his  material  success. 
On  the  other  hand,  her  —  ah  —  feeling  toward  him  is 
at  present  held  in  restraint  by  her  acute  judgment. 
She  had  reason  to  esteem  him  in  that  savage  environ- 
ment. She  now  realizes  that  he  must  win  her  esteem  in 
her  own  proper  environment.  She  is  not  merely  a 
young  lady  —  she  is  a  lady.  Her  rare  good  sense  tells 
her  that  she  must  not  accept  him  unless  he  proves  him- 
self fit." 

"  He  's  a  lot  fitter  than  all  these  lallapaloozer  papa's 
boys  and  some  of  their  fathers, —  all  those  empty- 
headed  swells  that  are  called  eligibles,"  rejoined  Griffith. 

"  It 's  not  a  question  of  polish  or  culture,  believe  me. 
She  is  far  too  clever  to  doubt  that  he  would  acquire  that 
quickly  enough.  My  reference  was  to  this  one  flaw, 
which  may  yet  shatter  him.  The  question  is  whether 
it  penetrates  too  deep  into  his  nature.  If  not  —  if  he 
can  rid  himself  of  it  —  then  even  I  admit  that  he  would 
make  her  happy." 

"  Yet  she  won't  lift  a  finger  to  help  him  fight  it  out?  " 

"  Courage  is  the  fundamental  virtue  in  a  man.  It 
includes  moral  strength.  If  she  cannot  be  sure  of  his 
strength,  she  will  always  doubt  him  and  her  love  for 
him." 

"  Can't  see  it  that  way.  If  she  helped  him,  and  he 
won  out,  he  'd  be  cured,  would  n't  he  ?  " 


164-          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  I  've  been  trying  to  guess  at  a  woman's  reason,  but 
I  'm  not  so  rash  as  to  attempt  to  argue  the  matter," 
said  Lord  James.  He  picked  up  his  hat  and  held  out 
a  cordial  hand  to  the  engineer.  "  She  may  or  may  not 
be  right.  I  'm  not  altogether  certain  as  to  the  intuitive 
wisdom  of  women.  However  that  may  be,  we  at  least 
shall  do  our  best  to  pull  him  through." 

"  That 's  talking,  Mr.  Scarbridge !  "  exclaimed  Grif- 
fith. 


CHAPTER  XV 

BY-PLAY 

PROMPTLY  at  four  that  afternoon  Blake  was 
shown  to  the  rooms  of  his  friend  at  the  hotel. 
He  entered  with  a  glum  look  not  altogether 
assumed. 

"  Well,  here  I  am,"  he  grumbled.  "  Hope  you  're 
satisfied.  You  're  robbing  me  of  the  best  part  of  the 
day." 

"  I  daresay,"  cheerfully  assented  Lord  James.  "  Now 
look  pleasant  till  I  see  if  you  're  dressed." 

"  No,  I  have  n't  a  thing  on.  Just  clothed  in  sun- 
shine and  a  sweet  smile,"  growled  Blake,  throwing  open 
his  raincoat  to  show  his  suit  of  rough  gray  homespun. 
"  You  don't  ever  get  me  into  that  skirty  coat  again.  I 
can  stand  full  dress,  but  not  that  afternoon  horror- 
gown.  I  'm  no  minister." 

"  Don't  fash  yourself,  old  man.  At  least  you  've 
been  tailored  in  London,  and  that 's  something.  You  '11 
do  —  in  Chicago." 

"  I  '11  do  O.  K.  right  here,"  said  Blake.  "  What  say? 
You  've  spoiled  my  afternoon.  We  '11  call  it  quits  if 
you  settle  down  with  me  and  put  in  the  time  chinning 
about  things." 

"  Tammas,  I  'm  shocked  at  you,"  reproved  Lord 
165 


166          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

James.  "  You  cannot  wish  to  disappoint  Mrs.  Gantry, 
really ! " 

"  Mrs.  Gantry  be  — " 

"  No,  no  !  Do  not  say  it,  my  dean  Tammas  !  When 
one  is  in  Society,  y'  know,  one  is  privileged  to  think  it, 
but  it  *s  bad  form  to  express  it  so  —  ah  —  broadly  — 
ah  —  I  assure  you." 

He  adjusted  his  monocle  and  stared  with  a  vacuous 
blandness  well  calculated  to  madden  his  friend.  Blake 
hurled  a  magazine,  which  his  lordship  deftly  sidestepped. 
He  reached  for  his  hat,  and  faced  Blake  with  boyish 
eagerness. 

"  Come  on,  Tom.  Chuck  the  rotting.  We  're  wast- 
ing time." 

"  Must  have  a  taxicab  waiting  for  you,"  bantered 
Blake. 

"  No,  a  young  lady.  Miss  Dolores  is  really  eager  to 
become  acquainted  with  you,  and  —  er  —  she  may  have 
a  friend  or  two  — " 

"  Excuse  me!  " 

"  Tammas  the  quitter ! " 

Lord  James  started  for  the  door,  and  Blake  followed 
him,  striving  hard  to  maintain  his  surly  look.  At  the 
street  entrance  he  sought  to  postpone  the  coming  or- 
deal by  urging  his  need  for  exercise. 

"  Don't  worry.  I  '11  pay,"  said  Lord  James,  pre- 
tending to  misunderstand,  and  he  raised  his  finger  to  the 
chauffeur  of  the  nearest  cab.  "  You  can  walk  home,  if 
you  wish  to  save  pennies.  Now,  you  know,  we  desire  to 
reach  Mrs.  Gantry's  as  soon  as  possible." 

"  Yes,  we  do !  "  growled  Blake. 


BY-PLAY  167 

He  seemed  more  than  ever  determined  to  remain  in 
his  glum  mood,  and  the  pleasant  badinage  of  his  friend 
during  their  run  out  to  Lincoln  Park  Boulevard  rather 
increased  than  lessened  his  surliness.  When  they  en- 
tered through  the  old  Colonial  portal  of  the  Gantry 
home,  he  jerked  off  his  English  topcoat  unaided,  con- 
temptuously spurning  the  assistance  of  the  buff-and-yel- 
low  liveried  footman.  But  as  they  were  announced,  he 
assumed  what  Lord  James  termed  his  "  poker  face,"  and 
entered  beside  his  friend,  with  head  well  up  and  shoul- 
ders squared. 

"  Good  boy !  Keep  it  up,"  murmured  Lord  James. 
"  She  '11  take  you  for  a  distinguished  personage." 

Blake  spoiled  the  effect  by  a  grin,  which,  an  instant 
later,  was  transformed  into  a  radiant  smile  at  sight  of 
Genevieve  beside  Mrs.  Gantry. 

Dolores  came  darting  to  meet  them,  her  black  eyes 
sparkling  and  her  lithe  young  body  aquiver  with  ani- 
mation. 

"  Oh,  Lord  Avondale ! "  she  cried.  "  So  you  did 
make  him  come.  Mr.  Blake,  why  did  n't  you  call  at 
once  ?  " 

"  Was  n't  asked,"  answered  Blake,  his  eyes  twinkling. 

"  You  are  now.  So  please  remember  to  come  often. 
Never  fear  mamma.  I  '11  protect  you.  Oh,  I  'm  just 
on  tiptoe  to  see  you  in  those  skin  things  you  wore  in 
Africa.  I  made  Vievie  put  on  her  leopard-skin  gown, 
and  I  think  it 's  the  most  terrible  romantic  thing  1  And 
now  I  'm  just  dying  to  see  your  hyena-skin  trousers  and 
those  awful  poisoned  arrows  and  — " 

"  Dolores !  "  admonished  Mrs.  Gantry. 


168          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  Oh,  piffle ! "  complained  the  girl,  drawing  aside  for 
the  men  to  pass  her. 

Even  Mrs.  Gantry  was  not  equal  to  the  rudeness  of 
snubbing  a  caller  in  her  own  house  —  when  she  had  given 
an  earl  permission  to  bring  him.  But  the  contrast  be- 
tween her  greetings  of  the  two  men  was,  to  say  the  least, 
noticeable. 

Blake  met  her  supercilious  bearing  toward  him  with 
an  impassiveness  that  was  intended  to  mask  his  con- 
temptuous resentment.  But  Genevieve  saw  and  under- 
stood. She  rose  and  quietly  remarked :  "  You  '11  ex- 
cuse us,  Aunt  Amice.  I  wish  Mr.  Blake  to  see  the  palm 
room.  I  fancy  it  will  carry  him  back  to  Mozam- 
bique." 

Mrs.  Gantry's  look  said  that  she  wished  Mr.  Blake 
could  be  carried  back  to  Mozambique  and  kept  there. 
Her  tongue  said :  "  As  you  please,  my  dear.  Yet  I 
should  have  thought  you  'd  had  quite  enough  of  Africa 
for  a  lifetime." 

"  One  never  can  tell,"  replied  Genevieve  with  a  cold- 
ness that  chilled  the  glow  in  Blake's  eyes. 

They  went  out  side  by  side  yet  perceptibly  constrained 
in  their  bearing  toward  one  another. 

Dolores  flung  herself  across  the  room  and  into  a  chair 
facing  her  mother  and  Lord  James. 

"  Did  you  see  that  ?  "  she  demanded.  "  I  do  believe 
Vievie  is  the  coldest  blooded  creature !  When  she  knows 
he  's  just  dying  for  love  of  her!  Why,  I  never — " 

"  That  will  do  !  "  interrupted  Mrs.  Gantry. 

"  I  '11  leave  it  to  Lord  Avondale.  Is  n't  it  the  exact 
truth?  " 


BY-PLAY  169 

"  Er  —  he  still  looks  rather  robust,"  parried  Lord 
James. 

"  You  know  what  I  mean.  But  I  did  n't  think  she  'd 
behave  in  this  dog-in-the-manger  fashion.  She  might 
have  at  least  given  me  a  chance  for  a  tete-a-tete  with 
him,  even  if  he  is  her  hero." 

"  I  am  only  too  well  aware  what  Lord  Avondale  will 
think  of  you,  going  on  in  this  silly  way,"  observed  Mrs. 
Gantry. 

"  If  Lord  Avondale  does  n't  like  me  and  my  manners, 
he  needn't.  Need  you,  Mr.  Scarbridge?" 

"  But  how  can  I  help  liking  you  ?  "  asked  the  young 
Englishman  with  such  evident  sincerity  that  the  girl  was 
disconcerted.  She  flashed  a  bewildered  glance  into  his 
earnest  face,  and  turned  quickly  away,  her  cheeks  scarlet 
with  confusion. 

"  Ah,  Earl,"  purred  her  mother,  "  I  fully  appreciate 
your  kindness.  She  is  Genevieve's  cousin.  You  are 
therefore  pleased  to  disregard  her  gaucheries." 

"  Ho  !  so  that 's  it?  "  retorted  Dolores.  "  Lord  Avon- 
dale  need  n't  trouble  to  disregard  anything  about  me." 

"  Believe  me,  I  do  not,  Miss  Gantry,"  replied  Lord 
James.  "  I  find  you  most  charming." 

"  Because  I  'm  Vievie's  cousin !  Well,  if  you  wish  to 
know  what  I  think,  I  think  all  Englishmen  are  simply  de- 
testable I "  cried  the  girl,  and  she  sprang  up  and 
flounced  away,  her  face  crimson  with  anger. 

"  You  had  better  go  straight  to  your  room,"  reproved 
her  mother. 

The  girl  promptly  dodged  the  doorway  for  which  she 
was  headed,  and  veered  around  to  a  window,  where  she 


170         OUT    OF    THE     PRIMITIVE 

turned  her  back  on  them  and  perched  herself  on  the  arm 
of  a  chair. 

Mrs.  Gantry  sighed  profoundly.  *'  A-a-dh!  Was 
ever  a  mother  so  tried!  Such  temper,  such  perversity  1 
Her  father,  all  over  again !  " 

"  If  you  '11  permit  me  to  offer  a  suggestion,"  ventured 
Lord  James,  "  may  it  not  be  that  you  drive  with  rather 
too  taut  a  rein  ?  " 

"  Too  taut!  Can  you  not  see?  The  slightest  relax- 
ation, and  I  should  have  a  runaway." 

"  But  a  little  freedom  to  canter?  It 's  this  chafing 
against  the  bit.  So  high  spirited,  you  know.  I  must 
confess,  it 's  that  which  I  find  most  charming  about  her." 

"  Impossible !     You  cannot  realize." 

"  Then,  too,  her  candor  —  one  of  the  rarest  and  most 
admirable  traits  in  a  woman." 

"  Simply  terrible !  That  she  should  fling  her  —  opin- 
ion of  you  in  your  face !  " 

"  Better  that  than  the  usual  insincerity  in  such  cases 
of  dislike.  It  gives  me  reason  to  hope  that  eventually 
I  can  win  her  friendship." 

"  Your  kindness  is  more  than  I  can  ever  repay ! " 

"  You  can  by  granting  me  a  single  favor." 

"  Indeed?  "  Mrs.  Gantry  raised  her  eyebrows  in  high 
arches. 

"  By  receiving  my  friend  as  my  friend." 

"  Ah !  Had  you  not  asked  permission  to  bring  him, 
he  would  not  have  been  received  at  all." 

"  Not  even  as  the  man  who  saved  your  niece?  " 

"  That  is  an  obligation  to  be  discharged  by  her 
father." 


BY-PLAY  171 

"  I  see.  Very  well,  then.  Regarding  him  simply  as 
my  friend,  I  ask  you  to  consider  that  he  is  undergoing 
a  most  difficult,  I  may  say,  cruel  test.  He  must  over- 
come something  that  he  has  vainly  fought  for  years  — 
something  that  has  crushed  many  of  the  greatest  intel- 
lects the  world  has  known." 

"  The  more  reason  for  me  to  save  Genevieve  from  ruin. 
From  what  you  say,  I  imply  that  it  is  a  hopeless  case  of 
degeneracy." 

"  Not  hopeless ;  and  degenerate  in  that  respect  alone 
—  if  you  must  insist  on  the  term." 

"I  do  insist." 

"  What  if  he  should  succeed  in  overcoming  it?  " 

"  He  cannot.  Even  should  he  seem  to,  there  will  al- 
ways be  a  weakness  to  be  feared." 

"  Is  that  just?  " 

"  It  is  just  to  Genevieve." 

"  Everything  for  Vievie,  coronet  included ! "  called 
Dolores  over  her  shoulder. 

Mrs.  Gantry's  English  complexion  deepened  to  the 
purple  of  mortification.  The  frank  smile  that  told  of 
his  lordship's  enjoyment  of  her  discomfiture  was  the 
last  straw.  She  rose  in  her  stateliest  manner. 

"  I  shall  leave  you  a  few  moments  to  be  entertained 
by  the  dear  child,  since  you  find  her  so  amusing,"  she 
said.  "  Genevieve  must  not  be  permitted  to  remain  too 
long  in  the  close  hot  air  of  the  palm  room." 

"  There 's  some  hot  air  outside  the  conservatory, 
mamma,"  remarked  Dolores. 

But  Mrs.  Gantry  sailed  majestically  from  the  room, 
without  deigning  to  heed  the  pleasantry. 


172          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

Lord  James  sauntered  across  to  the  window  and 
perched  himself  on  a  chair  arm  close  before  the  girl. 

"  When  do  you  begin  ?  "  he  asked.  "  Your  mamma 
said  you  were  to  entertain  me." 

"  Best  possible  reason  why  I  should  n't,"  she  snapped, 
staring  hard  out  of  the  window. 

"  What  if  I  should  try  to  entertain  you  ?  " 

"  You  would  n't  succeed.  I  wanted  to  talk  to  a  man. 
It 's  too  bad !  Simply  because  you  asked  me  to,  I  was 
silly  enough  to  tease  Vievie  into  coming  over  this  after- 
noon —  and  the  minute  he  comes,  she  rushes  him  off  to 
the  conservatory." 

"  Believe  me,  I  regret  quite  as  keenly  that  she  did  not 
take  me  instead." 

"  That 's  complimentary  —  to  me !  " 

"  Can  you  blame  me  for  agreeing,  when  you  express 
a  preference  for  the  man  instead  of  the  mere  son  of  a 
duke?  " 

"  Perhaps  you  're  a  man  yourself.     Who  knows  ?  " 

"  Qulen  sabe,  Senorita  Dolores  ? "  he  rallied  her. 
"  Tell  me  how  to  prove  it." 

She  flashed  him  a  glance  of  naive  coquetry.  "  You 
ask  how?  If  I  were  my  great  grandmother,  you  might 
try  to  kiss  me,  and  chance  a  stiletto  thrust  in  return." 

"  Your  great  grandmother  was  an  Italian  ?  " 

The  girl's  red  lips  curled  disdainfully.  "  No,  she 
was  Spanish.  Though  she  lived  in  Mexico,  her  family 
were  Castilian  and  related  to  the  royal  Valois  family  of 
France.  So  you  see  how  far  back  it  goes.  We  have  the 
journal  of  her  husband.  She  married  Dr.  Robinson, 


BY-PLAY 

who  accompanied  Lieutenant  Pike  on  his  famous  expedi- 
tion." 

"Pike?     Leftenant  Pike?" 

"  No,  he  was  n't  *  left.'  He  came  back  and  became 
the  General  Pike  who  died  at  the  moment  of  his  glorious 
victory  over  the  English,  in  the  War  of  1812." 

"  Ah,  come  to  think  —  Pike  of  Pike's  Peak.  Never 
heard  of  the  battle  you  mention ;  but  as  an  explorer  — 
So  one  of  his  companions  married  your  ancestress  ?  " 

"  Yes.  He  must  have  been  another  such  man  as  Mr. 
Blake." 

"  The  kind  to  risk  stiletto  thrusts  for  kisses  ?  " 

"  Yes.  I  know  I  must  be  exactly  like  her  —  that 
haughty  Senorita  Alisanda." 

"  Indeed,  yes.  I  can  almost  see  her  dagger  up  your 
sleeve." 

The  girl's  black  eyes  flashed  fire.  "  If  it  was  there, 
you  'd  get  a  good  scratch !  " 

"  Believe  me,"  he  apologized,  "  you  quite  failed  to 
take  me." 

"  It 's  no  question  of  taking  you.     I  prefer  heroes." 

"  Can't  say  I  blame  you.  You  've  all  the  fire  and 
charm  of  a  Spanish  girl,  and,  permit  me  to  add,  the  far 
greater  charm  of  an  American  girl." 

She  looked  to  see  if  he  was  mocking  her.  Finding 
him  unaffectedly  sincere,  she  promptly  melted  into  a 
most  amiable  and  vivacious  though  unconventional  de- 
butante. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

THE    AMARYLLIS 

THE    constraint   between    Blake    and    Genevieve 
had  rather  increased  than  lessened  when  they 
left  the  others.     Neither  spoke  until  they  had 
passed  through  the  outer  conservatory  into  the  tropical 
heat  of  the  palm  room.     But  there  the  first  whiff  of  the 
odor  from  the  moist  warm  mould  brought  with  it  a  flood 
of  pungent  memories. 

"  The  river  jungle,"  muttered  Blake,  sniffing.  "  Air 
was  drier  out  under  the  cocoanut  palms." 

"  That  first  night,  in  the  tree !  "  murmured  Genevieve. 
"  How  easily  you  hauled  us  up  with  the  vine  rope !  Ah, 
then  —  and  now !  " 

Blake  drew  away  from  her,  his  face  darkening. 
"  Hope  you  don't  think  I  expected  to  see  you  here  ?  If 
Jimmy  knew,  he  did  n't  tell  me." 

"  How  could  he  know  ?  Dolores  did  not  phone  to  me 
until  mid-afternoon.  But  even  had  you  been  told,  I  see 
no  reason  why  you  should  n't  have  come." 

"  You  don't?  "  he  asked,  his  face  brightening.  "  I 
was  afraid  you  might  think  I  was  trying  to  dodge  your 
conditions.  Besides,  I  had  promised  myself  not  to  call 
on  you  till  I  thought  I  saw  a  way  to  work  out  a  big 
piece  of  engineering  that  I  'm  on." 

174, 


THE     AMARYLLIS  175 

"  Then  you  have  a  good  position  ?     I  'm  so  glad !  " 

"  Not  a  regular  position.  But  I  've  been  given  work 
and  a  chance  at  one  of  the  biggest  things  in  hydraulics 
—  the  Zariba  Dam,  out  in  Arizona." 

"  You  're  not  going  away  ?  "  Calmly  as  she  tried  to 
speak,  she  could  not  entirely  repress  an  under-note  of 
apprehension. 

Slight  as  was  the  betrayal  of  feeling,  it  enheartened 
him  immensely.  He  beamed  up  at  the  palm  crests  that 
brushed  the  glazed  dome. 

"  Looks  like  they  're  going  to  raise  the  roof,  does  n't 
it  ?  "  he  said.  "  Feel  that  way  myself.  Your  father 
unloaded  the  Zariba  project  onto  the  Coville  Construc- 
tion Company,  and  they  've  offered  a  cool  fifty  thousand 
dollars  to  the  man  that  figures  out  a  feasible  way  to 
construct  the  dam.  I  spoke  about  it  before,  you 
may  remember ;  but  this  bonus  was  n't  up  then.  If 
I  put  it  through,  I  '11  be  recognized  as  a  first-class 
engineer.'* 

"  You  will  succeed,  of  course,"  said  Genevieve  with 
perfect  confidence  in  his  ability  to  overcome  such  a  rel- 
atively easy  difficulty. 

"  Hope  so,"  responded  Blake.  "  I  'm  still  tunnelling 
in  the  dark,  though.  Not  a  glimmer  of  a  hole  out." 

"  That  is  of  small  concern." 

"Isn't  it,  though?  I'm  counting  on  that  to  boost 
me  along  on  the  other  thing.  Nothing  like  a  little  good 
luck  to  keep  a  fellow  braced  up." 

"  But  I  'm  sure  you  have  some  Dutch  blood, —  and 
you  know  the  Dutch  never  fight  harder  than  when  the 
odds  are  against  them." 


176          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  Then  it 's  too  bad  I  'm  not  Hans  Van  Amsterdam. 
He  'd  have  the  scrap  of  his  life." 

"  Do  you  mean  that  the  odds  are  so  greatly  against 
you  ?  "  asked  Genevieve,  with  sudden  gravity. 

"What's  the  use  of  talking  about  it?"  said  Blake, 
almost  brusquely.  "  If  I  win,  I  win ;  and  I  'm  supposed 
to  believe  that  is  all  it  means.  If  I  lose,  you  're  rid  of 
me  for  good." 

Genevieve  bit  her  lip  and  turned  her  head  to  hide  her 
starting  tears. 

"  I  did  not  think  you  would  be  so  bitter  over  it ! "  she 
half  sobbed. 

"Can't  you  take  a  joke?"  he  demanded.  "Great 
joke !  —  me  thinking  I  've  a  ghost  of  a  show  of  winning 
you !  No ;  the  laugh  's  on  me,  all  right.  Idea  of  me 
dreaming  I  can  down  that  damnable  thirst  1" 

"  Tom,  you  '11  not  give  up  —  you  '11  not !  "  she  cried 
with  a  fierceness  that  shook  him  out  of  his  bitter  de- 
spondency. 

"Give  up?"  he  rejoined.  "What  d' you  take  me 
for?  I'll  fight  —  course  I'll  fight,  till  I'm  down  and 
out.  People  don't  much  believe  in  hell  nowadays,  Jenny. 
I  do.  I  've  been  there.  I  'm  bound  to  go  there  again, 
I  don't  know  how  soon.  Don't  think  I  'm  begging  for 
help  or  whining.  Nobody  goes  to  hell  that  has  n't  got 
hell  in  him.  He  always  gets  just  what's  coming  to 
him." 

"  No,  no !  It 's  not  fair.  I  can't  bear  to  hear  you 
blame  yourself.  There  's  no  justice  in  it.  Both  hered- 
ity and  environment  have  been  against  you." 

"  Justice  ?  "  he  repeated.     He  shook  his  head,  with 


THE     AMARYLLIS  177 

rather  a  grim  smile.  "  Told  you  once  I  worked  in  a 
pottery.  Supposing  the  clay  of  a  piece  was  n't  mixed 
right,  it  was  n't  the  dish's  fault  if  it  cracked  in  the  fir- 
ing. Just  the  same,  it  got  heaved  on  the  scrap-heap." 

Genevieve  looked  down  at  her  clasped  hands  and  whis- 
pered :  "  May  not  even  a  flawed  piece  prove  so  unique, 
so  valuable  in  other  respects,  that  it  is  cemented  and 
kept?" 

Blake  laughed  harshly.  "  Ever  know  a  cracked  dish 
to  cement  itself?  " 

"  This  is  all  wrong !  The  metaphor  does  n't  apply," 
protested  the  girl.  "  You  're  not  a  lifeless  piece  of 
clay ;  you  're  a  man  —  you  have  a  free,  powerful  will." 

"  That 's  the  question.  Have  I  ?  Has  anybody  ? 
Some  scientists  argue  that  we  're  nothing  but  automatons 
—  the  creatures  of  heredity  and  environment." 

"  It 's  not  true.  We  're  morally  responsible  for  all 
we  do  —  that  is,  unless  we  're  insane." 

"  And  I  'm  only  dippy,  eh?  "  said  Blake. 

He  moved  ahead  around  the  screening  fronds  of  a 
young  areca  palm,  and  came  to  an  abrupt  halt,  his  eyes 
fixed  on  an  object  in  the  midst  of  the  tropical  under- 
growth. 

"  Look  here ! "  he  called  in  a  hushed  tone. 

Genevieve  hesitated,  and  came  to  him  with  reluctant 
slowness.  But  when  she  reached  his  side  and  saw  what 
it  was  he  was  looking  at  so  intently,  her  cold  face  warmed 
with  a  tender  glow,  and,  unable  to  restrain  her  emo- 
tion, she  pressed  her  cheek  against  his  arm.  He  quiv- 
ered, yet  made  no  attempt  to  take  advantage  of  her 
weakness. 


178          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  Tom  t  oh,  Tom !  "  she  whispered.  "  It 's  exactly  the 
color  of  the  other  one !  " 

"  Wish  this  snake  was  as  easy  to  smash !  "  he  mut- 
tered. 

"  It  will  be ! "  she  reassured  him.  He  made  no  re- 
sponse. After  a  short  silence,  she  said,  "  In  memory  of 
that,  Tom,  I  wish  you  would  kiss  me." 

He  bent  over  and  touched  his  lips  to  her  forehead  with 
reverent  tenderness.  That  was  all. 

When  Mrs.  Gantry  came  in  on  them,  they  were  still 
standing  side  by  side,  but  apart,  contemplating  the  great 
crimson  amaryllis  blossom.  Their  attitude  and  their 
silence  were,  however,  sufficient  to  quicken  her  apprehen- 
sions. 

"  My  dear  child,"  she  reproached  Genevieve,  "  you 
should  know  that  this  damp  mouldy  air  is  not  wholesome 
for  you." 

"  She  's  right,  Miss  Jenny,"  agreed  Blake.  "  It 's 
too  much  like  Mozambique  —  gets  your  thoughts  mud- 
dled. You  've  failed  to  do  as  you  said  you  would.  I 
ought  to  've  gone  sooner.  Good-day,  Mrs.  Gantry. 
Good-day,  Miss  Jenny." 

He  turned  away  with  decisive  quickness. 

"  Must  you  go  ?  "  asked  Genevieve,  with  a  trace  of  en- 
treaty that  did  not  escape  her  aunt. 

"  Yes,"  said  Blake. 

"  You  '11  come  to  see  me  soon  !  " 

'*  Not  till  I  see  daylight  ahead  on  the  dam.  Don't 
know  when  that  will  be.  Best  I  can  say  is  Adios!  " 

*'  I  trust  it  will  be  soon." 

"  Same  here,"  he  responded,  and  he  left  the  palm 


THE     AMARYLLIS  179 

room  with  head  down-bent,  as  if  he  were  already  ponder- 
ing the  problem,  the  solving  of  which  was  to  free  him 
from  the  self-imposed  taboo  of  her  house. 

"  My  dear  Genevieve ! "  Mrs.  Gantry  hastened  to  ex- 
claim. "  Why  must  you  encourage  the  man?  " 

The  girl  pointed  to  the  gorgeous  blossom  of  the 
amaryllis.  "  That  is  one  reason,  Aunt  Amice." 

"  That?     What  do  you  mean?  " 

"  Your  amaryllis  —  not  the  flower  itself,  but  what  it 
stands  for  to  me." 

"  Still,  I  do  not  — " 

"  Not  when  you  recall  what  I  told  you  about  that 
frightful  puff  adder — that  I  was  stooping  to  pick  an 
amaryllis  when  the  hideous  creature  struck  at  me?  " 

"  You  mentioned  something  about  a  snake,  but  there 
was  so  much  else  — " 

"  Yes,  it  was  only  once  of  the  many,  many  times 
when  he  proved  himself  a  man.  Though  the  adder  only 
struck  the  fold  of  my  skirt,  I  stood  paralyzed  with  hor- 
ror. Winthrope,  as  usual,  was  ineffectual.  Tom  came 
running  with  his  club  —  and  then  — "  The  girl  paused 
until  the  vivid  blush  that  had  leaped  into  her  cheeks  had 
ebbed  away.  "  It  was  not  alone  his  courage  but  his  re- 
sourcefulness. Most  men  would  have  turned  away  from 
the  writhing  monster,  full  of  loathing.  He  saw  the  op- 
portunity to  convert  what  had  been  a  most  deadly  peril 
into  a  source  of  safety.  He  sent  me  away,  and  ex- 
tracted the  poison  for  his  arrow  tips." 

"  My  dear  child,  I  freely  admit  that  he  is  an  admirable 
savage,"  conceded  Mrs.  Gantry. 

"  Say  rather  that  he  was  fit  to  survive  in  a  savage  en- 


180          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

vironment.  We  shall  now  see  him  adapt  himself  to  the 
other  extreme." 

"  Young  girls  always  tend  to  idealize  those  whom  they 
chance  to  fancy." 

"  Chance?  Fancy?  Dear  Aunt  Amice,  you  and 
papa  do  not,  perhaps  cannot,  realize  that  for  those 
many  weeks  I  lived  with  storm  and  starvation,  sun  and 
fever,  serpents  and  ferocious  beasts  all  striving  to  de- 
stroy me.  I  saw  the  hard  realities  of  life,  and  learned 
to  think.  Mentally  I  am  no  longer  a  young  girl,  but  a 
woman,  qualified  to  judge  what  her  future  should  be." 

The  glowing  face  of  her  usually  composed  niece 
warned  Mrs.  Gantry  to  be  discreet.  She  patted  the  coils 
of  soft  hair.  "  There,  there,  my  dear.  Pray  do  not 
misunderstand  me.  All  I  ask  is  that  you  make  sure  be- 
fore you  commit  yourself, —  a  few  months  of  delay,  that 
you  may  compare  him  with  the  men  of  our  own  class." 

Genevieve  smiled.  "  I  have  gone  quite  beyond  that 
already,  Aunt  Amice." 

"  Indeed?  "  murmured  the  elder  woman.  Too  tact- 
ful to  venture  further,  she  placed  a  ring-crowded  hand 
upon  her  ample  bosom.  "  It  is  too  close  in  here.  I 
feel  oppressed." 

Genevieve  readily  accompanied  her  from  the  conserva- 
tory. 

Blake  had  gone,  alone,  for  they  found  Lord  James  in 
the  midst  of  a  lively  tete-a-tete  with  Dolores. 

At  sight  of  the  merry  couple,  Genevieve  paused  in  the 
doorway  to  recall  to  her  companion  some  previous  con- 
versation. "  You  see,  Aunty.  Confess  now.  They 
would  make  a  perfect  couple." 


THE     AMARYLLIS  181 

"  Nonsense.  He  would  never  dream  of  such  a  thing, 
even  were  you  out  of  his  thoughts.  What  is  more, 
though  he  seems  to  have  caught  her  in  one  of  her  gay 
moods,  I  know  that  she  simply  abominates  him.  She 
told  him  as  much,  within  a  minute  after  you  left  us." 

"  I  'm  so  sorry !  "  sighed  Genevieve.  "  At  least  let  us 
slip  out  without  interrupting  them.  I  must  be  going, 
anyway." 

"  My  dear,  I  have  you  to  consider  before  Dolores," 
replied  Mrs.  Gantry,  and  she  advanced  upon  the  uncon- 
scious couple.  "  Genevieve  is  going." 

Lord  James  looked  about,  for  the  slightest  fraction 
of  a  moment  discomposed.  Genevieve  perceived  the 
fleeting  expression,  and  hastened  to  interpose.  "  Do  not 
trouble.  It  is  so  short  a  distance." 

But  the  Englishman  was  already  bowing  to  Dolores. 
The  girl  turned  her  back  upon  him  with  deliberate 
rudeness. 

"  You  see !  "  murmured  Mrs.  Gantry  to  Genevieve. 

When  Lord  James  and  her  niece  had  gone,  the  out- 
raged dame  wheeled  upon  her  daughter.  But  at  the 
first  word,  Dolores  faced  her  with  such  an  outblazing 
of  rebellious  anger  that  the  mother  thought  best  to  defer 
her  lecture. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

ENTRAPPED 

ON  a  frosty  Sunday  morning,  some  ten  days 
later,  Blake  came  swinging  out  Lake  Shore 
Drive  at  a  space-devouring  stride  that  soon 
brought  him  to  the  Leslie  mansion.  He  turned  in,  and 
the  footman,  who  had  received  orders  regarding  him, 
promptly  bowed  him  in. 

After  a  moment's  hesitancy,  Blake  handed  over  a 
calling  card.  All  his  previous  cards  had  been  printed, 
with  a  "  C.  E."  after  his  name  and  nothing  before  it. 
These  social  insignia  had  been  ordered  for  him  by  Lord 
James.  Blake  wondered  how  the  innovation  would  im- 
press Genevieve. 

She  presently  came  down  to  him,  dressed  for  church 
but  without  her  hat.  He  was  quick  to  note  the  fact. 
"  You  're  going  out.  Did  n't  mean  to  call  at  the  wrong 
time." 

"  No,"  she  replied.  "  I  am  going  to  church,  but  not 
until  Aunt  Amice  and  Dolores  call  by  for  us.  That 
may  not  be  for  half  an  hour.  I  am  very  glad  to  see 
you.  I  remember  what  you  said  about  your  next  call. 
This  means,  does  it  not,  that  you  believe  you  can  solve 
the  problem  of  the  Zariba  Dam?  " 

"  Yes.  I  sidetracked  the  proposition  four  days  ago. 
182 


ENTRAPPED  183 

Had  all  the  facts  and  factors  in  my  head,  but  could  n't 
seem  to  get  anywhere.  Well,  I  had  n't  tried  to  think 
about  the  dam  since  then,  but  this  morning,  all  of  a  sud- 
den, the  idea  came  to  me." 

"  You  had  set  your  subconscious  mind  to  working," 
remarked  Genevieve.  "  The  ideas  of  many  of  the  great 
inventions  and  discoveries  have  come  that  way." 

"  Don't  know  about  any  subconscious  mind,"  said 
Blake.  "  But  that  idea  flashed  into  my  head  when  I 
wasn't  thinking  of  the  dam  at  all  —  just  like  I'd 
dreamed  it." 

"  You  mean  *  as  if  you  'd  dreamed  it,  not  '  like,' ': 
said  Genevieve,  with  a  look  of  playful  reproof. 

"How's  that?"  he  queried.  "Never  thought  that 
was  wrong.  But  I  like  your  telling  me.  Is  that 
right?  " 

"  Quite, —  grammatically  as  well  as  otherwise,"  she 
answered,  smiling  at  his  soberness.  But  her  tone  was  as 
earnest  as  his.  "  The  speech  of  a  great  engineer  should 
be  as  correct  as  his  figures." 

"  That 's  a  go !  "  agreed  Blake.  "  I  '11  hire  a  gram- 
mar expert  just  as  soon  as  I  work  out  this  dam  idea  — 
um  —  you  know  what  I  mean  —  this  idea  about  the  dam. 
Don't  know  how  long  that  will  take.  But  I  'm  pretty 
sure  I  've  got  the  thing  cinched  —  else  I  would  n't  have 
had  the  nerve  to  come  here  this  morning.  You  '11  be- 
lieve that,  Jenny?" 

"  Of  course.  Yet  there  was  no  reason  why  you  should 
have  remained  away  even  had  you  not  succeeded.  I  did 
not  mean  you  to  —  to  take  it  that  way,  Tom." 


184          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  All  right,  then.  I  '11  drop  around  often  if  it 's  not 
against  rules." 

"  You  '11  come  to  church  with  me  this  morning?  " 

"  Church ! "  echoed  Blake,  in  mock-tragic  fright. 
"  Have  n't  been  inside  a  church  since  I  don't  know  when." 

"  All  the  more  reason  why  you  should  go  with  us 
now,"  she  argued. 

"Us?" 

"  Aunt  Amice  always  calls  by  for  papa.     He  is  one 
of  the  vestrymen  of  the  Cathedral,  you  know,  but  he  'd  . 
never  go  if  aunty  did  not  come  for  him.     We  share  the 
same  pew.     But  it 's  a  large  one.     There  '11  be  room  for 
you." 

"  Not  in  the  same  pew  with  your  aunt  and  father," 
rejoined  Blake.  "  It  'd  take  a  larger  pew  than  was  ever 
made,  to  hold  them  and  me." 

"  Oh,  but  you  must  come,  Tom.  You  '11  enjoy  the 
music.  Here  they  are  now." 

"  O-ho,  Vievie,  you  in  here  ?  "  called  Dolores,  and  she 
darted  in  upon  them.  "  Goodness !  who  's  the  man  ? 
Why,  it 's  Mr.  Blake.  Hail  to  the  hero !  " 

She  pirouetted  down  to  them  and  shook  Blake's  hand 
vigorously,  chattering  her  fastest.  "  You  can't  imagine 
how  glad  I  am  to  see  you.  I  've  had  less  than  half  of 
Jeems,  with  mamma  butting  in  all  the  way  over.  Of 
course  he  '11  sit  between  her  and  Vievie.  If  you  '11  come 
along  as  my  own  particular,  I  '11  feed  you  on  chocolates 
and  keep  you  nudged  during  the  sermon." 

"  Oh,  but  I  say,  Miss  Gantry,  those  were  to  be  my 
chocolates,"  protested  Lord  James  from  the  doorway. 
"  Hello,"  said  Blake.     "  So  you  're  the  man,  are  you? 


ENTRAPPED  185 

Better  look  out.  First  thing  you  know,  you  '11  get 
roped." 

"Roped?     What's  that?"  demanded  Dolores. 

"  Ask  Jeems,"  laughed  Blake. 

"  Er  —  seems  to  me  I  've  heard  the  expression  in  re- 
lation to  the  term  *  steer,' "  observed  Lord  James. 

"  Oh,  something  to  do  with  a  ship,"  said  the  girl. 

"  Yes,  with  what  the  sailormen  would  call  a  trim  craft. 
Eh,  Jeems?"  chuckled  Blake. 

"  You  're  laughing  at  me !  "  accused  the  girl.  "  To 
make  up  for  it,  you  '11  have  to  come  and  hold  my  prayer- 
book  for  me.  Just  think !  —  a  real  hero  to  hold  my 
prayer-book ! " 

"  Excuse  me!  "  objected  Blake.  "  I  don't  know  the 
places." 

"  Never  mind.  We  can  study  the  styles  quite  as 
well.  Vievie,  let 's  hurry  on.  Mamma  has  gone  up  to 
rout  out  Uncle  Herbert.  They  '11  be  late  —  as  usual." 

"Well,  then,  I'll  clear  the  track,"  said  Blake. 
"  Take  good  care  of  Jeems  for  me.  Good-bye,  Miss 
Jenny." 

"  Don't  leave,  Tom,"  replied  Genevieve.  "  If  you  do 
not  wish  to  go  to  the  Cathedral  — " 

"  We  '11  all  stay  home,"  cut  in  Dolores. 

"What's  this  about  staying  home?  "  came  the  voice 
of  Mrs.  Gantry  from  the  hall. 

"  Quick,  Mr.  Blake !  "  exclaimed  Dolores  in  a  stage 
whisper.  "  Hide  behind  me.  I  'm  taller  than  Vievie." 

Her  mother  came  in  upon  them  in  time  to  catch 
Blake's  broadest  grin.  "  Stay  at  home,  indeed!  Such 
a  delightful  day  as  —  Ah !  " 


186          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  It  is  Mr.  Blake,  Aunt  Amice,"  said  Genevieve  in  a 
tone  that  compelled  the  stiffening  matron  to  bow. 

"  Well,  good-bye,"  repeated  Blake. 

"  Please  wait,"  said  Genevieve.  "  If  you  do  not  wish 
to  go  to  church,  you  must  stay  to  —  Here  's  papa." 

"  Not  late  this  time,  am  I  ?  "  demanded  Mr.  Leslie, 
bustling  into  the  room.  "  All  ready,  my  dear?  No, 
you  've  not  got  on  your  hat.  Hello ! "  He  stopped 
short,  staring  at  Blake.  "  Did  n't  know  you  were  to  be 
with  us." 

"  I  'm  not,"  said  Blake. 

"You're  not?  H'm, —  why  not?  Not  afraid  of 
church,  are  you?  Better  join  us." 

Blake  stared  in  open  astonishment.  "  Thanks,  I  — 
Not  this  time,  I  guess,"  he  replied. 

Mr.  Leslie  seemed  about  to  press  the  point,  but 
paused  and  glanced  at  his  watch. 

"  Please  do  not  wait  for  me,"  said  Genevieve.  "  I 
have  decided  not  to  go." 

If  Blake  expected  an  outburst  over  this,  he  had 
another  surprise  in  store  for  him.  Mrs.  Gantry  turned 
away,  tight-lipped  and  high  of  chin,  either  too  full  for 
utterance  or  else  aware  that  it  was  an  instant  when 
silence  was  the  better  part  of  diplomacy. 

Mr.  Leslie  followed  her,  after  a  half-irritable,  half- 
cordial  word  to  Blake.  "  Very  well,  very  well.  Some 
other  time,  then." 

As  Lord  James  took  his  leave  of  Genevieve  with  ap- 
parent nonchalance,  Blake  noted  an  exultant  sparkle 
in  the  black  eyes  of  Dolores.  Yet  the  look  was  flatly 


ENTRAPPED  187 

contradicted  by  her  words  as  she  flounced  about 
toward  the  door :  "  You  need  n't  say  good-bye,  Mr. 
Scarbridge.  You  may  as  well  stay  right  here,  since 
she  's  not  going." 

"  You  see  how  she  rags  me,"  complained  Lord  James, 
hastening  out  after  her. 

Blake  watched  them  go,  his  eyes  keen  with  eager 
observation.  He  was  still  staring  at  the  doorway  when 
Genevieve  offered  banteringly,  "  A  penny  for  your 
thoughts,  Mr.  Blake." 

"  You  '11  have  to  bid  higher.  Make  it  a  coronet  — 
I  mean,  half  a  crown." 

"  Only  half  a  crown?  Why  not  a  crown  —  the  oak 
crown  of  the  conqueror?  You  know  the  Bible  verse: 
'  He  that  overcometh  himself  is  greater  than  he  that 
taketh  a  city.' " 

"  Can't  say  as  to  that ;  but  I  've  taken  in  the  town, 
after  having  failed  to  overcome,"  said  Blake  with  bitter 
humor. 

"  Tom !  You  must  not  speak  of  your  defeats. 
They  are  past  and  of  the  Past.  You  must  not  even 
think  of  them.  Have  you  ever  been  baptized?  " 

"  Baptized?  Let 's  see  .  .  .  Yes,  I  remember 
the  question  was  brought  up  when  I  came  back  from 
my  first  hoboing  and  my  sisters  got  me  going  to  the 
Episcopal  Mission.  They  even  persuaded  me  to  join 
what 's  called  a  confirmation  class.  That 's  when  it 
had  to  be  proved  I  'd  been  baptized." 

"  Oh,  Tom !  then  you  've  been  confirmed  —  you  're 
an  Episcopalian ! " 


188          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  I  was  confirmed.  That 's  not  saying  I  'm  an 
Episcopalian  now." 

"  Have  you  joined  another  denomination?  " 

*'  No.  It  was  just  that  my  religious  streak  pinched 
out,  and  some  years  after  that  I  read  Darwin  and 
Spencer  and  Haeckel." 

"  But  that 's  no  reason.  If  only  you  had  read 
Drummond  first,  you  'd  have  seen  that  true  science  and 
true  religion  are  not  opposed  but  are  complementary 
to  each  other.'* 

"  Drummond?  "  queried  Blake.  "  Never  heard  of 
him,  that  I  remember.  Anyway,  I  guess  I  'm  not  one 
of  the  religious  kind.  It  was  only  to  please  my  sisters 
I  started  in  that  time." 

"  But  you  '11  go  to  church  with  me  now,  Tom  ?  " 

Blake  hesitated.  "  Thought  you  told  them  you  'd 
decided  not  to  go?  " 

"Not  to  the  Cathedral.  There's  the  little  chapel 
down  the  street,  in  which  I  was  confirmed.  It 's  nearer. 
We  could  walk.  The  bishop  officiates  at  the  communion 
this  morning,  but  he  is  ill;  so  Mr.  Vincent,  the  vicar, 
will  preach.  He  's  a  young  clergyman  and  is  said  to 
be  as  popular  with  the  men  of  his  congregation  as 
with  the  women.  His  text  to-day  for  morning 
service  is  —  No,  I  '11  not  tell  it  to  you,  but  I  'm  sure 
you  '11  find  the  sermon  helpful." 

"  If  you  're  so  anxious  to  have  me  go,  Jenny,  I  '11 
go.  But  it 's  to  be  with  you,  not  because  I  'm  inter- 
ested in  that  kind  of  religion.  I  don't  believe  in  going 
to  a  church  every  week  and  whining  about  being  full 
of  sin  and  iniquity  and  all  that.  The  people  that  do 


ENTRAPPED  189 

it  are  either  hypocrites  and  don't  believe  what  they  are 
saying,  or  else  it 's  true,  and  they  ought  to  go  to  jail." 

Genevieve  smiled  regretfully.  "  You  and  I  live  in 
such  different  worlds.  Will  you  not  try  to  at  least 
look  into  mine?  " 

"  Well,  I  '11  not  sleep  during  the  sermon,"  promised 
Blake. 

She  shook  her  head  at  his  levity,  and  left  him,  to 
fetch  her  hat  and  furs. 

When  they  went  out,  Blake  had  no  need  to  stop  in 
the  hall.  He  had  brought  no  overcoat.  The  first 
breath  of  the  clear  frosty  air  outside  caused  her  to  draw 
her  furs  about  her  graceful  throat.  She  glanced  at 
Blake,  and  asked  with  almost  maternal  concern. 
"  Where  's  your  topcoat  ?  You  '11  take  cold." 

"  What,  a  day  like  this  ?  "  he  replied.  "  On  a  good 
hustling  j  ob  I  'd  call  this  shirtsleeve  weather." 

"  You  're  so  hardy !     That  is  part  of  your  strength." 

"  Um-m,"  muttered  Blake.  "  That  cousin  of  yours 
is  a  hummer,  is  n't  she  ?  " 

"  If  you  but  knew  how  she  envies  me  my  Crusoe  ad- 
ventures ! " 

"  I  'm  not  surprised  to  hear  it.  What  gets  me  is 
seeing  her  go  to  the  same  church  as  her  mother." 

"  She  does  n't  usually.  But  how  could  she  miss 
such  a  chance  to  tease  aunty  and  Lord  James  ?  She  's 
a  dear  contrary  girl." 

"  Then  she  's  not  an  Episcopalian?  " 

"  Oh,  yes.     Is  n't  it  nice  that  we  all  are?  " 

"We  all?"  queried  Blake. 

"  If  you  've  been  confirmed,  you  are,  too.     That  Js 


190          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

why  I  'm  so  glad  you  're  coming  with  me.     We  '11  take 
the  communion  together." 

Blake's  face  darkened,  and  he  replied  hesitatingly : 
"  Why,  you  see,  Jenny,  I  —  I  don't  think  I  want  to." 

"  But,  Tom,  when  it  will  please  me  so  much ! " 

"  You  know  I  'd  like  to  please  you  —  only,  you  see, 
I  'm  not  —  I  don't  believe  in  it." 

"  Do  you  positively  disbelieve  in  it  ?  " 

"  Well,  I  can't  say  just  that." 

"  Then  I  'm  sure  it  will  be  all  right.  You  '11  not  be 
irreverent,  and  maybe  it  will  reawaken  your  own  true 
spiritual  self." 

"  Sorry,"  said  Blake  uneasily.  "  I  'm  afraid  I  can't 
do  it,  even  to  please  you." 

"  But  why  not?  Surely,  Tom,  you  '11  not  allow  your 
hard  cold  science  to  stand  in  the  way  of  a  sacra- 
ment ! " 

"  I  don't  know  whether  it  is  a  sacrament  or  is  n't." 

"  Is  that  your  reason  for  refusing  what  I  so  greatly 
desire  ?  " 

He  looked  away  from  her,  and  asked  in  a  tone  that 
was  meant  to  be  casual,  "  Do  they  use  regular  wine, 
or  the  unfermented  kind?  " 

"  So  that 's  your  reason !  "  she  exclaimed.  "  I  did 
not  think  you  'd  be  afraid." 

"  Anything  that  has  alcohol  in  it  — "  he  sought  to  ex- 
plain. "  It 's  the  very  devil  to  rouse  that  craving ! 
There  have  been  times  when  I  've  taken  a  drink  and 
fought  it  down  —  but  not  when  —  No,  I  can't  risk 
it,  Jenny." 

"  Not  the  communion  wine  ?     Surely  no  harm  could 


ENTRAPPED  191 

come  from  that!  You  need  take  only  the  slightest 
sip." 

"  One  taste  might  prove  to  be  as  bad  as  a  glassful. 
You  can't  guess  what  it 's  like.  I  'm  apt  to  go  wild. 
Just  the  smell  is  bad  enough." 

"  But  it 's  the  communion,  Tom.  You  have  been 
confirmed  in  the  Church.  You  know  what  the  conse- 
crated bread  and  wine  symbolize.  You  can  recall  to 
mind  all  the  sacred  associations." 

"  I  'm  mighty  sorry,"  replied  Blake.  "  If  only  that 
meant  to  me  what  it  does  to  you,  I  might  risk  it.  I  'm 
no  blatant  atheist  or  anti-religionist.  I  'm  simply 
agnostic ;  I  don't  believe.  That  *s  all.  You  have 
faith.  I  have  n't.  I  did  n't  wish  to  get  rid  of  my  faith. 
It  just  went." 

"  It  may  come  to  you  again,  if  you  seek  to  partake 
of  the  spiritual  communion,"  urged  Genevieve. 

"  I  'm  willing  enough  to  try  that.  But  I  '11  not  risk 
any  wine." 

"You'll  not?"  she  cried.  "Afraid  to  taste  the 
consecrated  wine  ?  Then  you  are  weak !  —  you  are  a 
coward!  And  I  thought  you  strong,  despite  your  own 
confession ! " 

The  outburst  of  reproach  forced  Blake  to  flinch. 
He  muttered  in  protest,  "  Good  Lord,  Jenny !  you 
don't  mean  to  say  you  make  this  a  part  of  the  test  ?  " 

"  Does  it  mean  nothing  to  you  that  I  long  to  have 
you  share  the  communion  with  me? "  she  rejoined. 
"  What  must  I  think  of  you  if  you  dare  not  venture 
to  partake  of  that  holy  symbol,  in  the  communion  of 
all  that  is  highest  within  you  with  the  Father?  " 


192          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

Blake  quivered  as  though  the  frosty  air  had  at  last 
sent  a  chill  through  his  powerful  frame. 

"  You  insist?  "  he  asked  huskily. 

"  You  are  strong.     You  will  do  it,"  she  replied. 

"  You  don't  know  what  it  means.  But,  since  you 
insist — "  he  reluctantly  acquiesced.  He  added  almost 
inaudibly,  "  Up  against  it  fop  sure !  Still  —  there  have 
been  times— '* 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

HOLY    COMMUNION 

THEY  reached  the  chapel  and  entered  during 
the  last  verse  of  the  Processional  Hymn. 
As  Genevieve  was  known  to  the  usher  in 
charge  of  the  centre  aisle,  they  were  shown  to  a  pew 
farther  forward  than  Blake  would  have  chosen. 

Genevieve  produced  a  dainty  hymnal  and  prayer- 
book,  and  gave  her  companion  the  pleasurable  em- 
ployment of  helping  her  hold  first  one  and  then  the 
other,  throughout  the  service.  If  his  spirit  was  quick- 
ened by  a  re-hearing  of  the  prayers  in  which  he  had 
once  believed,  he  did  not  show  it.  But  he  seemed 
pleased  at  the  fact  that  Genevieve  was  too  intent  upon 
worship  to  gaze  around  at  the  hats  and  dresses  of  the 
other  ladies. 

The  chapel  choir  could  not  boast  of  any  exceptional 
voices.  It  was,  however,  very  well  trained.  Through- 
out the  anthem  Blake  sat  tense,  almost  quivering,  so 
keen  was  his  delight.  At  the  close  he  sank  back  into 
the  corner  of  the  pew,  his  gaze  shifting  uneasily  from 
the  infirm  and  aged  bishop  in  the  episcopal  chair  to  the 
thin,  eager-faced  young  vicar  who  had  hastened  around 
to  mount  up  into  the  pulpit. 

With  a  quick  movement,  the  vicar  opened  the  thick 
'3  193 


194          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

Bible  to  his  text,  the  announcement  of  which  caused 
Blake  to  start  and  fix  his  attention  upon  him : 

"  *  He  that  is  slow  to  anger  is  better  than  the  mighty, 
and  he  that  ruleth  his  spirit  than  he  that  taketh  a 
city.'  Proverbs  16:32." 

Genevieve  glanced  at  Blake,  who  recalled  how  she 
had  expressed  her  certainty  that  he  would  find  the  ser- 
mon helpful.  The  text  was  apt,  to  say  the  least.  His 
hard-set  face  momentarily  softened  with  a  smile  that 
caused  her  to  settle  back,  in  serene  contentment.  He 
assumed  what  Lord  James  would  have  termed  his 
"  poker  face "  and  leaned  up  in  the  corner  of  the 
pew,  to  gaze  at  the  preacher,  as  impassive  as  a  wooden 
image. 

The  manner  in  which  the  Reverend  Mr.  Vincent  eluci- 
dated his  text  soon  won  a  stare  of  pleased  surprise  from 
Blake.  He  began  by  describing,  no  less  vividly  than 
briefly,  the  walled  cities  of  the  ancients  and  the  enor- 
mous difficulty  of  capturing  them,  either  by  siege  or 
assault.  This  was  followed  by  a  graphic  summary  of 
the  life  of  Alexander  the  Great. 

Blake  listened  with  such  intentness  to  this  novel  ser- 
mon that  he  did  not  perceive  that  Genevieve  was  no  less 
intently  studying  him.  It  was  evident  he  was  deeply 
impressed  by  the  obvious  inference  to  be  drawn  from 
the  life  of  the  mighty  young  Macedonian, —  the  youth 
who  conquered  worlds,  only  to  be  himself  conquered  by 
his  own  vices. 

But  when,  warming  to  his  theme,  the  young  vicar 
entered  upon  a  eulogy  of  asceticism,  Blake  bent  over 
and  stared  moodily  at  the  printed  "  Suggestions  to 


HOLY     COMMUNION  195 

Worshippers "  pasted  on  the  back  of  the  next  pew. 
His  big  body,  to  all  appearances,  was  absolutely  still 
and  rigid,  but  the  fingers  of  his  right  hand  moved  about 
restlessly,  tapping  his  knee  or  clenching  upon  the  broad 
palm. 

In  the  midst  of  Mr.  Vincent's  explanations  of  what 
he  considered  the  fundamental  differences  between  the 
self-torture  of  the  Hindu  yogis  and  the  mortifications 
of  spirit  and  body  practised  by  the  mediaeval  monks, 
Blake  shook  his  head  in  an  uneasy,  annoyed  gesture. 
Yet  if  he  meant  this  as  an  indication  of  dissent,  he  gave 
no  other  sign  that  he  was  following  the  thread  of  the 
sermon. 

Even  the  close  of  the  eloquent  peroration,  in  which 
Mr.  Vincent  besought  his  hearers  to  prepare  for  the 
fasting  and  prayer  of  the  Lenten  season,  failed  to  rouse 
Blake  from  his  moody  abstraction.  But  at  the  end 
of  the  regular  service,  when  the  white-gowned  choir- 
boys flocked  out  and  the  majority  of  the  congregation 
began  to  crowd  into  the  aisles  with  decorous  murmur- 
ings  and  the  soft  rustling  of  silken  skirts,  Blake  raised 
his  head  and  followed  their  departure  with  a  shifting, 
disquieted  gaze. 

At  last  all  others  than  those  who  had  remained  for 
the  communion  had  passed  out  into  the  vestibule,  and 
the  closing  of  the  doors  muffled  the  loud  clear  voices 
of  those  on  the  outer  steps.  Genevieve  touched  Blake's 
arm.  He  started,  and  glanced  up  into  the  chancel. 
As  he  caught  sight  of  the  bishop  and  Mr.  Vincent  be- 
hind the  rail,  his  uneasiness  became  so  pronounced  that 
Genevieve  was  alarmed. 


196          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  What  is  it?     Are  you  ill?  "  she  whispered. 

"  No,"  he  replied.  He  thrust  his  shaking  hands  into 
his  coat  pockets,  forced  himself  to  take  a  deep  breath, 
and  added  in  a  thick,  half -inarticulate  mutter,  "  no  — 
won't  give  in  —  not  a  quitter." 

She  could  not  catch  the  words,  but  the  resolute  tone 
reassured  her. 

"  It 's  the  air  in  here.  It 's  stifling.  But  we  shall 
not  be  long  now,"  she  murmured,  and  she  lapsed  into 
devotional  concentration. 

Blake,  however,  followed  the  service  with  increasing 
restlessness.  His  fingers  twitched  within  the  sheltering 
pockets,  and  the  lines  of  his  face  drew  tense.  He 
glanced  about  two  or  three  times  as  though  half  in- 
clined to  bolt. 

A  little  more,  and  he  might  have  broken  under  the 
strain  and  run  away.  But  then  the  communicants 
began  to  leave  their  pews  and  drift  forward  into  the 
chancel.  At  the  touch  of  Genevieve's  hand  upon  his 
arm  he  started  more  sharply  than  before. 

"  Tom,  you  really  are  ill ! "  she  insisted. 

"  No,"  he  mumbled,  "  I  guess  I  —  Wait,  though. 
I  Ve  forgotten.  Does  he  mean  we  're  supposed  to  take 
it  as  real  flesh  and  blood?  " 

"  Only  the  Romanists  hold  to  that.  We  take  it 
symbolically." 

"  Then  why  does  n't  he  say  so  ?  " 

"  He  did.  Besides,  every  one  understands.  You  are 
coming?  " 

"  Wine  —  alcohol  —  and  she  still  insists !  "  he  mut- 
tered in  a  thick,  almost  inarticulate  voice. 


HOLY     COMMUNION  197 

Intent  upon  the  sacrament,  she  failed  to  heed  either 
his  tone  or  the  despair  in  his  tense  face. 

"Come.  We  are  the  last,"  she  urged.  "  We  '11 
soon  be  out  in  the  open  air." 

With  a  heaviness  that  she  mistook  for  solemnity,  he 
stepped  out  into  the  aisle  for  her  to  leave  the  pew, 
and  walked  beside  her  up  into  the  chancel. 

She  knelt  near  the  extreme  end  of  the  altar  rail, 
and  bent  over  with  her  face  in  the  little  hand  that  she 
had  bared  to  receive  the  communion  bread.  For  a 
moment  Blake  stood  beside  her,  staring  dubiously  at  the 
venerable  figure  of  the  bishop.  Mr.  Vincent  passed 
between.  Blake  took  a  step  to  the  left  and  knelt  down 
beside  Genevieve. 

The  only  sounds  in  the  chancel  were  the  intoned 
murmurings  of  the  bishop  and  Mr.  Vincent  and  the 
labored  breathing  of  an  asthmatic  woman  next  to 
Genevieve.  The  less  indistinct  of  the  murmuring  voices 
drew  near.  Genevieve  thrust  out  her  palm  a  little 
way.  Blake,  without  looking  up,  did  the  same. 

Mr.  Vincent  reiterated  his  intoned  statement  above 
them,  as  though  in  invocation,  and  placed  tiny  squares 
of  bread  in  their  palms.  They  were  the  last  in  the 
line  of  kneeling  communicants.  Blake  waited  until 
Genevieve  raised  her  hand  to  her  mouth.  Mechanically 
he  followed  her  example.  He  swallowed  the  little  morsel 
of  bread  with  perceptible  effort.  Again  he  pressed  his 
forehead  down  upon  the  hand  that  gripped  the  brass 
rail. 

The  bishop's  voice  now  murmured  near  them,  feeble 
and  broken,  yet  very  solemn :  "  *  The  Blood  of  our 


198          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

Lord  Jesus  Christ,  which  was  shed  for  thee,  preserve 
thy  body  and  soul  unto  everlasting  life.  Drink  this  in 
remembrance  that  Christ's  Blood  was  shed  for  thee,  and 
be  thankful.'  " 

Both  of  Blake's  hands  now  clutched  the  rail  in  a 
grip  that  whitened  the  knuckles.  Persons  from  the 
other  end  and  the  centre  of  the  line  were  rising  and 
softly  retiring  to  their  pews.  The  asthmatic  woman 
gasped  and  fell  silent  as  the  bishop  held  the  communion 
cup  to  her  lips. 

The  bishop  shuffled  quietly  along  another  step  and 
stood  bowed  over  the  last  two  communicants.  He  was 
a  very  old  man  and  he  was  ill.  His  voice  sank  to  an 
inaudible  murmur:  "  *  The  Blood  .  .  .  shed  for 
thee,  preserve  .  .  .  life.  Drink  this  .  .  •'; 

Blake  waited,  tense  and  rigid,  as  one  about  to  meet 
the  shock  of  a  deadly  attack.  The  bishop  drew  the 
chalice  back  from  Genevieve's  lips  in  his  trembling 
hands,  and  paused  for  Blake  to  reach  out  and  take  it. 

Blake  did  not  move.  The  bishop  bent  farther  over. 
The  fumes  of  the  wine  rose  in  the  face  of  the  kneeling 
man.  He  quivered  and  shrank  back  —  then,  almost 
violently,  he  flung  up  his  head  and  caught  the  cup  to 
his  lips. 

Genevieve  was  rising.  Blake  stood  up  abruptly  and 
followed  her  down  to  their  pew.  She  knelt  at  once ; 
but  he  caught  up  his  soft  hat,  and  holding  it  before  his 
face,  bent  down  close  to  her  ear.  He  spoke  in  a 
strained  whisper :  "  Excuse  me.  I  've  got  to  go." 

She  half  rose.  "You're  ill!  I'll  go  with  you 
and—" 


HOLY     COMMUNION  199 

"No.  Sit  still.  I  *ve  a  —  a  most  important  en- 
gagement with  a  friend  —  Mr.  Griffith.  Got  to 
hurry ! " 

"  Not  so  loud ! "  she  cautioned  him.  "  If  you  must 
go,  Tom ! " 

"  Yes,  must !  Sorry,  but  — "  His  hand  sought 
and  closed  upon  hers  in  a  sudden  caressing  clasp,  and 
his  voice  became  husky.  "  Good-bye,  girlie !  May  not 
see  you  for  a  —  for  a  time !  " 

"  Why,  are  you  going  out  of  town?  "  she  asked. 

But  he  was  already  turning  away.  Without  paus- 
ing to  answer  her  question,  he  started  rapidly  down  the 
aisle,  his  head  and  shoulders  bent  forward  in  a  peculiar 
crouch.  A  slight  frown  of  perplexity  and  displeasure 
marred  the  serenity  of  Genevieve's  face.  But  the 
benign  voice  of  the  bishop  immediately  soothed  her 
back  into  her  beatific  abstraction. 

When  the  service  was  ended,  she  walked  home  in  a 
most  devotional  frame  of  mind,  and  after  luncheon, 
spent  the  afternoon  searching  out  scriptural  verses 
that  she  thought  would  aid  in  the  spiritual  re-awaken- 
ing of  Blake.  Later  in  the  afternoon  she  accompanied 
her  father  to  the  Gantrys',  her  face  aglow  with  reverent 
joy.  It  was  as  if  she  felt  that  she  had  already  guided 
Blake  into  the  straight  and  narrow  way  that  leads  up 
out  of  the  primitive. 

They  found  Dolores  industriously  shocking  her 
mother  by  a  persistent  heckling  of  Lord  James,  who 
was  smiling  at  her  quips  and  sallies  and  twirling  his 
little  blond  mustache  as  if  he  enjoyed  the  raillery. 

"  Oh,  here  's  Vievie,  at  last !  "  cried  the  girl.     "  Vievie 


200          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

darling,  your  eyes  positively  shine !  Have  you  and  the 
heroic  Thomas  been  talking  about  the  sharks  and 
crocodiles  of  your  late  paradise?  That  was  so  cute 
of  you,  waiting  this  morning  till  we  had  gone,  and  then 
slipping  off  with  him  alone." 

"  We  went  to  my  little  chapel.  I  knew  the  dear  old 
bishop  would  be  there.  And  the  new  vicar,  Mr.  Vin- 
cent, preached  a  splendid  sermon." 

"  Which  you  talked  about  all  the  way  home  —  I  don't 
think,"  mocked  Dolores. 

"  No,  you  never  think,"  agreed  Mrs.  Gantry. 

"  Mr.  Blake  had  to  hasten  away,  just  before  the 
close  of  the  communion  service,"  explained  Genevieve. 
"  He  remembered  an  important  engagement  with  Mr. 
Griffith." 

"About  the  Zariba  Dam?"  queried  her  father  with 
alert  eagerness. 

"  He  did  not  say.  I  am  not  altogether  sure  that 
he—" 

"  Pardon  me,"  interrupted  Lord  James.  "  Do  you 
really  believe  that,  in  the  circumstances,  he  would  leave 
you  for  a  business  appointment?  " 

"Why  shouldn't  he?"  said  Mr.  Leslie.  "If  he 
solves  the  problem  of  that  dam,  his  fortune  is  as  good 
as  made.  He  '11  have  big  positions  thrust  upon  him. 
Did  he  seem  excited,  my  dear  —  abstracted  ?  " 

"Oh,  do  you  think  it  was  that?"  replied  Genevieve. 
"  I  feared  he  was  ill.  The  ventilation  of  the  chapel 
is  so  wretched.  He  did  look  odd;  yet  he  would  not 
admit  that  he  felt  ill.  I  was  half  doubtful  whether 
it  was  right  to  insist  that  he  stay  to  communion." 


HOLY     COMMUNION  201 

"  Communion !  "  gasped  Mrs.  Gantry.  "  You  don't 
mean  to  say,  my  dear,  that  you  've  made  a  convert  of 
him  ?  Impossible !  " 

"  I  'm  afraid  not,"  sighed  Genevieve.  "  I  believe  he 
took  the  communion  merely  to  oblige  me." 

"  Took  the  communion? "  echoed  Lord  James,  no 
less  astonished  than  Mrs.  Gantry.  "  Surely  you  do  not 
—  er  —  It  seems  quite  impossible,  you  know." 

"  Is  it  so  very  amazing,  when  I  asked  him  —  urged 
him  ?  "  said  Genevieve,  flushing  ever  so  slightly  under 
his  incredulous  look. 

"  My  word !  "  he  murmured.     "  Tom  did  that !  " 

"  I  regret  that  he  was  not  in  a  condition  to  receive 
the  utmost  good  from  it.  But  he  was  either  ill  or  else 
rendered  uneasy  over  his  business  with  Mr.  Griffith," 
remarked  Genevieve. 

"  Of  course,  of  course ! "  assented  Lord  James,  bend- 
ing over  to  brush  a  speck  from  his  knee.  "  Quite  a 
pity,  indeed ! "  He  straightened  and  turned  to  Mrs. 
Gantry,  with  a  forced  smile.  "  Er  —  it 's  deuced 
stupid  of  me  —  agreeing  to  dine,  y'  know  —  deuced 
stupid.  Must  beg  pardon  for  cutting  it !  I  'd  quite 
forgotten  I  was  to  meet  Tom  —  er  —  and  Griffith,  at 
their  offices.  They  may  be  waiting  for  me  now." 

"  Why,  of  all  things !  "  protested  Dolores.  "  You 
don't  mean  to  say  you  are  going  to  run  off,  just  when 
dinner  is  ready?  " 

"  Lord  Avondale  has  made  his  excuses,"  said  her 
mother.  "  No  doubt  another  time  — " 

"  Very  soon,  I  trust  —  very  soon,"  assented  Lord 
James,  with  a  propitiatory  glance  at  Dolores.  "  It 's 


202          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

a  keen  disappointment,  I  assure  you."  He  looked 
about  at  Genevieve.  "  If  you  ladies  will  be  so  kind  — 
It 's  a  most  pressing  matter.  Er  —  Griffith  is  not  in 
the  best  of  health.  He  may  have  to  take  a  trip  to 
Florida." 

"  No,  he  won't,"  broke  in  Mr.  Leslie.  "  Not  unless 
he  leaves  some  one  to  manage  Lafayette  Ashton.  The 
young  cub  is  n't  fit  to  be  left  alone  with  that  bridge. 
Is  n't  that  what  this  appointment  is  about  ?  Griffith 
may  have  it  in  mind  to  put  Blake  in  charge  of  the 
bridge." 

"  Er  —  must  say  it  would  n't  surprise  me  if  he  takes 
a  run  up  there  with  Griffith,"  said  Lord  James.  "  May 
go  along  myself." 

"  But  you  '11  be  back  for  the  ball ! "  exclaimed 
Dolores. 

"Right-o!  Count  on  me  for  the  ball.  That's  a 
fortnight  off.  Ample  time." 

"  Then  I  promise  you  two  waltzes.  Bring  back 
Laffie  with  you.  He  dances  divinely." 

Lord  James  smiled  in  rather  an  absent  manner,  and 
turned  to  Genevieve.  "  You  take  me  ?  I  expect  to  be 
away  with  Tom  for  a  few  days.  He  will  probably  lack 
opportunity  to  call  on  you  before  he  leaves  town. 
You  may  have  a  message  for  me  to  take  to  him." 

"  Give  him  my  best  wishes  for  the  success  —  of  his 
work." 

"That  is  all?" 

For  a  few  moments  Genevieve  stood  hesitating,  too 
intent  upon  her  own  thoughts  to  heed  the  covert  stare 
of  Dolores  and  the  open  scrutiny  of  her  aunt  and 


HO.LY     COMMUNION  203 

father.  Lord  James  waited,  with  his  averted  gaze  fixed 
upon  the  anxious  face  of  Mrs.  Gantry. 

"  That  is  all,"  quietly  answered  the  girl,  at  last. 

Mrs.  Gantry  sighed  with  relief,  but  Dolores  frowned, 
and  Mr.  Leslie  stared  in  irritable  perplexity.  Lord 
James  bowed  and  hastened  out  before  any  of  the  others 
had  observed  his  expression. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

THE    FALL    OF    MAN 

GRIFFITH,    C.E.,   sat   in  the   inner   room   of 
the    bare    living    apartments    adjoining    his 
office.     His  feet,  clad  in  white  socks  and  an 
ancient  pair  of  carpet  slippers,  were  perched  upon  the 
top  of  a  clicking  steam  radiator.     His  lank  body  bal- 
anced itself  perilously  in  a  rickety  cane-seated  chair, 
which  was  tilted  far  back  on  the  rear  legs.     His  pipe, 
long  since  burnt  out  and  cold,  hung  from  his   slack 
jaw,    while    his    eyes,    bright    and    excited,    galloped 
through  the  last  pages  of  a  sensational  society  novel. 

He  reached  the  final  climax  of  the  series  of  climaxes, 
and  sat  for  a  moment  tense;  then,  flirting  the  cheap 
thing  into  a  corner,  he  drew  down  his  feet  and  stood 
up,  stretching  and  yawning.  Having  relieved  his 
cramped  muscles,  he  drew  out  a  tobacco  pouch.  But 
while  in  the  act  of  opening  it,  he  glanced  at  the  alarm- 
clock  on  the  book-shelves,  and  ended  by  replacing  the 
pouch,  without  loading  his  pipe. 

"  Nine,"  he  croaked,  and  again  he  stretched  and 
yawned. 

A  sharp  knock  sounded  at  the  hall-door  of  the  outer 
room.  Before  he  could  start  in  response,  a  second  and 
far  louder  knock  followed. 

204 


THE     FALL     OF     MAN  205 

"  H'm  —  must  be  a  wire,"  he  muttered,  and  he 
shuffled  quickly  over  the  faded  carpet  into  the  front 
room. 

The  door  shook  with  a  third  knocking  that  sounded 
like  fist  blows.  Griffith's  eyes  sharpened  with  the  look 
of  a  man  who  has  lived  in  rough  places  and  scents 
danger.  He  turned  the  night-catch  and  stepped  to  one 
side  as  he  flung  the  door  open.  Before  him  stood  a 
tall  young  man  in  an  English  topcoat.  The  visitor's 
curly  yellow  hair  was  bare  and  his  handsome  face  scarlet 
with  embarrassment. 

"  I  —  er  —  I  beg  your  pardon,  Mr.  Griffith.  I  — ' 
he  stammered. 

A  big  hand  swung  up  on  his  shoulder,  and  a  deep 
voice,  thick  and  jocular,  cut  short  his  apology. 
"Thash  all  ri',  Cheems.  Wash  ri'  in.  Ish  on'y  ol' 
Grishsh.  Wash  ri'  in,  I  shay." 

Propelled  by  the  hand  on  his  shoulder,  Lord  James 
entered  with  a  precipitancy  that  carried  him  half 
across  the  room.  Blake  followed  with  solemn  delibera- 
tion, keeping  a  hand  upon  the  door  casing.  Griffith 
stepped  around  and  shut  and  bolted  the  door.  Without 
a  second  glance  at  Blake,  he  shuffled  close  up  to  Lord 
James  and  demanded  in  a  rasping,  metallic  voice, 
"  What 's  the  meaning  of  this,  Mr.  Scarbridge?  " 

"Thash  all  ri',  Grish,"  interposed  Blake,  "  thash 
all  ri'.  M'  frensh  Chimmy  Ear5  Albondash.  Hish 
fa'er  's  Dush  Rubby  —  y'  shee?  " 

Without  raising  his  voice,  Griffith  gave  utterance  to 
a  volley  of  blasphemous  expletives  that  crackled  on  the 
air  like  an  electric  discharge. 


206          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  If  you  will  kindly  permit  me,  sir  — " 

"  Hell !  "  cut  in  the  engineer.  "  You  call  yourself 
his  friend.  Good  friend  you  are,  to  let  him  touch  a 
drop ! " 

"  This  is  no  time  for  misunderstandings  between  his 
friends,  Mr.  Griffith,"  said  Lord  James,  with  a  quiet 
insistence  that  checked  the  other's  anger.  "  He  was 
hard  at  it  when  I  found  him  — had  been  for  hours." 

"  Hi*  she  are,  Chi-Chimmy  boy !  Ching  o'  it, 
Grishsh!  —  thish  ish  a  relish  —  relishush  lushingsh 
—  church  shaloo  —  loon." 

Griffith  went  over  to  the  swaying  figure,  and  stared 
close  into  the  pallid  face  and  glittering,  bloodshot  eyes. 

"  You  damned  fool! "  he  jerked  out. 

"  Whash  —  whash  'at?     Whash  you  shay,  Grishsh?  " 

"  You  damned  idiot ! " 

"  Thash  all  ri'.  Goo'  frensh,  Grishsh,  youm  me. 
Lesh  hash  a  dro-drop." 

"  Come  on  in,"  said  the  engineer.  "  I  '11  give  you 
several  drops."  He  shot  a  glance  at  the  Englishman. 
"  Lend  a  hand,  will  you  ?  " 

Lord  James  stepped  quickly  to  the  other  side  of 
Blake,  who  clasped  each  about  the  neck  in  a  maudlin 
but  vice-like  embrace.  As  they  moved  toward  the 
bedroom,  Griffith  exclaimed  with  strategic  enthusiasm: 
"  That 's  it,  boys,  come  right  on  in.  It 's  so  con- 
founded dusty  here,  let 's  have  a  bath." 

"  All  ri',  Grishsh,  en'ching  you  shay.  Bu'  you 
wanna  wash  ou'  y'  don'  gi'  wa'er  insish.  Wa'er  insish 
a  man'sh  wor5  ching  — " 


THE     FALL    OF     MAN  207 

"  That 's  all  right,  old  man,"  cut  in  Lord  James. 
"  I  '11  see  to  that.  Leave  it  to  me." 

By  this  time  they  had  come  in  beside  Blake's  own 
cot,  which  extended  out  of  the  corner  of  the  room,  at 
the  foot  of  Griffith's  equally  simple  bed.  Griffith 
opened  the  door  of  a  tiny  bathroom  and  turned  on  the 
hot  water  in  the  tub.  Lord  James  fell  to  stripping 
Blake,  regardless  of  his  protests  that  he  could  undress 
himself. 

"  Chuck  it ! "  ordered  his  lordship,  as  Blake  sought 
to  interfere.  "  You  don't  want  to  keep  us  waiting  our 
turn,  do  you  ?  " 

Blake  launched  upon  an  elaborate  and  envolved  dis- 
claimer that  he  had  harbored  the  remotest  idea  of 
causing  his  friends  the  slightest  trouble.  In  the  midst 
Griffith  came  out  of  the  bathroom.  With  his  help, 
Blake  was  soon  got  ready,  and  the  two  led  him  in 
between  them.  In  the  corner  of  the  bathroom  was  a 
small  cabinet  shower-bath  with  a  wooden  door.  Blake 
turned  toward  it,  but  Griffith  drew  him  about  to  the 
steaming  tub. 

"  Hot  room  first,  Tommy,"  he  said.  "  Have  n't  for- 
gotten how  to  take  a  Turkish,  have  you?  " 

Blake  entered  upon  another  profuse  apology,  mean- 
time docily  permitting  the  others  to  immerse  him  in 
the  tub  of  hot  water.  Griffith  promptly  added  still 
hotter  water  to  the  bath,  while  Lord  James  held  the 
vapor  curtains  tight  about  the  patient's  neck.  Before 
many  minutes  Blake  began  to  grow  restless,  then  to 
curse.  But  between  them,  Griffith  and  Lord  James 


208          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

managed  to  keep  him  in  the  tub  for  more  than  a  quarter 
of  an  hour. 

"  All  right,  Tommy.  Now  for  the  shower,"  said 
Griffith,  at  last. 

Blake  came  out  of  the  tub  red  and  still  wobbly. 
They  rushed  him  over  and  shoved  him  into  the  cabinet. 
Lord  James  stepped  clear,  and  Griffith  slammed  shut 
the  door,  latched  it  with  an  outside  hook,  and  jerked 
open  the  lever  of  the  shower-faucet,  which  was  outside 
the  cabinet. 

"  Oof!  '*  grunted  Blake,  as  the  cold  deluge  poured 
down  upon  his  bare  head  and  body. 

"  Fine,  hey?  "  called  Griffith. 

"  Wow!     Lemme  ou' !     Oo-ou!  " 

The  cabinet  shook  with  a  bump  that  would  have  upset 
it  had  it  not  been  screwed  fast  to  the  wall. 

"Aw,  now,  don't  do  the  baby-act,  Tommy!"  jeered 
Griffith.  "  Yowling  like  a  bum,  over  a  bath !  " 

"  Be  game,  old  man ! "  chimed  in  Lord  James. 
"  Take  your  medicine." 

"  Bu-but  'sh  cole !     W-whew!  " 

"  Stay  with  it,  old  man  —  stay  with  it !  "  urged  Lord 
James.  "  Don't  lay  down.  Be  a  sport !  " 

"  G-gosh !     'M   f  ree-f reezin' !     Lemme   out !  " 

Griffith  rubbed  his  hands  together  and  cackled: 
"  Stay  with  it,  Tommy.  It 's  doing  the  work.  Stay 
with  it." 

"  Damnation  1 "  swore  Blake.     "  O-open  that  door !  " 

"  Time  we  were  moving,  Mr.  Scarbridge,"  said  Grif- 
fith. 


THE     FALL     OF     MAN  209 

He  followed  Lord  James  out  of  the  bathroom,  and 
closed  the  door.  He  led  the  way  through  into  the  front 
room,  and  closed  that  door.  They  stood  waiting,  silent 
and  expectant. 

The  walls  shook  with  a  muffled  crash. 

"  Repairs,  five  dollars,"  said  Griffith.  "  Better  stand 
farther  over  this  way." 

The  bathroom  door  slammed  open  violently.  The 
two  men  glanced  into  each  other's  eyes. 

"  You  've  played  football  ?  "  croaked  the  engineer. 

Lord  James  nodded. 

"  Tackle  him  low  —  fouler  the  better,"  advised  Grif- 
fith. 

There  was  a  pause  .  .  .  One  of  the  cots  in  the 
bedroom  creaked  complainingly. 

"  Huh,"  muttered  Griffith.  "  Sulking,  eh?  Good 
thing  for  us."  He  gazed  full  into  the  Englishman's 
face,  and  offered  his  hand.  "  I  hope  you  '11  overlook 
what  I  said,  Mr.  Scarbridge  —  Lord  Scarbridge. 
Under  the  circumstances  — " 

"Don't  mention  it,  Mr.  Griffith!  It's  —  it's  the 
most  positive  proof  of  your  friendship  for  him  —  that 
you  should  have  been  so  angered.  Deuce  take  it,  I  'd 
give  anything  if  this  had  n't  happened !  " 

"How  did  it  happen?"  asked  Griffith.  "Sit 
down —  No ;  no  chance  of  his  coming  out  now." 

Lord  James  slipped  off  his  heavy  topcoat,  and  seated 
himself,  his  dress  clothes  and  immaculate  linen  offering 
an  odd  contrast  to  the  shabby  room.  But  the  engineer 
looked  only  at  the  face  of  his  visitor. 


210          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  It 's  a  beastly  shame  —  when  he  was  holding  his 
own  so  well ! "  exclaimed  the  Englishman. 

"  That 's  what  gets  me,"  said  Griffith.  "  He  seemed 
to  have  staved  it  off  indefinitely.  I  did  n't  notice  a 
single  one  of  the  usual  signs.  And  he  has  let  out  that 
the  dam  was  almost  a  certainty.  If  he  had  fizzled  on 
it,  I  could  understand  how  that  and  the  way  he  's  been 
grinding  indoors  night  and  day  — " 

"  No ;  he 's  stood  that  better  than  I  had  feared. 
What  a  shame!  what  a  beastly  shame f  When  Miss 
Leslie  learns  — " 

"  Miss  Leslie?  "  cut  in  Griffith.  "  If  she  shakes  him 
for  this,  she  's  not  much  account  —  after  all  he  did 
for  her.  If  she  's  worth  anything,  now  's  the  time  for 
her  to  set  to  and  help  pull  him  up  again.  But  you 
have  n't  said  yet  how  it  happened." 

"  That 's  the  worst  of  it !  To  be  sure,  she  was  per- 
fectly innocent.  She  must  have  thought  it  simply  im- 
possible that  the  communion  wine  — " 

"  Hey !  —  communion  wine  ?  That 's  what  he  meant 
by  church  saloons  and  religious  lushing,  then.  She 
steered  him  up  against  that  —  knowing  his  one  weak- 
ness ?  " 

"  My  dear  sir,  how  could  she  realize?  " 

"  He  told  me  she  knew." 

"  But  the  communion  wine !  " 

"  Communion  alcohol !  Alcohol  is  alcohol,  I  don't 
care  whether  it 's  in  a  saloon  or  a  church  or  pickling 
snakes  in  a  museum.  I  tell  you,  Tommy's  case  has 
made  a  prohibition  crank  of  me.  Talk  about  it 's  being 
a  man's  lack  of  will  and  moral  strength  —  bah!  I 


THE     FALL     OF     MAN  .     211 

never  knew  a  man  who  had  more  will  power  than  he, 
or  who  was  more  on  the  square.  You  know  it." 

"I  —  to  be  sure  —  except,  you  know,  when  he  gives 
way  to  these  attacks." 

"  Gives  way !  —  and  you  've  seen  him  fight !  It 's  a 
disease,  I  tell  you  —  a  monomania  like  any  other  mono- 
mania. Why  don't  they  say  to  a  crazy  man  in  his 
lucid  intervals,  *  Trouble  with  you  is  your  lack  of  will 
power  and  moral  strength.  Brace  up.  Go  to 
church'?" 

"  But  you  'd  surely  not  say  that  Tom  's  insane  ?  He 
himself  lays  it  to  his  own  weakness." 

"  What  else  is  insanity  but  a  kind  of  weakness  —  a 
broken  cog  in  the  machine  which  slips  and  throws  every- 
thing out  of  gear,  no  matter  how  big  the  dynamo?  I 
tell  you,  a  dipsomaniac  is  no  more  to  be  blamed  for 
lack  of  will  power  or  moral  strength  than  is  a  klepto- 
maniac, or  than  an  epileptic  is  to  be  blamed  for  having 
fits.  It 's  a  disease.  I  'm  giving  it  to  you  straight 
what  the  doctors  say." 

All  the  hopefulness  went  out  of  the  Englishman's 
boyish  face. 

"Gad!"  he  murmured.  "Gad!  Then  he  can't 
overcome  it." 

"  I  don't  know.  The  doctors  don't  seem  to  know. 
They  say  that  a  few  seem  to  outgrow  it  —  they  don't 
know  how,  though.  But  all  agree  that  the  thing  to  do  is 
to  keep  the  patient  braced  —  keep  him  boosted  up." 

"  Count  on  me  for  that ! "  exclaimed  Lord  James. 

"  It 's  where  this  girl  —  Miss  Leslie  —  ought  to 
come  in,  if  she  's  worth  anything,"  thrust  Griffith. 


212          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  But  —  but,  my  dear  sir,  you  quite  fail  to  under- 
stand. It  will  never  do  to  so  much  as  hint  to  her  that 
he  has  failed." 

"  Failed  1"  retorted  Griffith.  "When  she  herself 
forced  him  to  take  the  first  drink  —  Don't  cut  in ! 
If  you  know  Tommy  as  well  as  you  ought,  you  know 
he  would  never  have  taken  that  drink  in  the  condition 
he  was  in  —  not  a  single  drop  of  anything  containing 
alcohol !  No !  the  girl  forced  him  —  she  must  have. 
He  's  dead  in  love  with  her.  He  'd  butt  his  head  against 
a  stone  wall,  if  she  told  him  to.  Hell!  —  just  when 
he  had  his  chance  at  last  1 " 

"His  chance?" 

"  I  've  been  figuring  it  as  a  chance.  Supposing  he 
had  pulled  off  this  big  Zariba  Dam,  he  'd  have  felt  that 
he  had  made  good.  It  might  have  brought  around 
that  change  the  doctors  tell  about.  Don't  you  see? 
It  might  have  fixed  that  broken  cog  —  straightened  him 
up  somehow  for  good.  But  now  —  hell !  " 

Griffith  bent  over,  with  a  groan. 

"  Gad ! "  murmured  Lord  James.  After  a  long 
pause,  he  added  slowly,  "  But,  I  assure  you,  regard- 
ing Miss  Leslie,  it  will  never  do  to  tell  her.  If  she 
hears  of  this,  he  will  have  no  chance  —  none !  That 
occurred  to  me  immediately  I  inferred  the  deplorable 
truth.  I  told  her  we  were  thinking  of  going  with  you 
to  the  bridge  —  Michamac." 

"You  did?  Say,  I  thought  Britishers  were  slow, 
but  you  got  your  finger  on  the  right  button  first  shove. 
It  9s  the  very  thing  for  him  —  change,  open  air,  the 
bridge —  Wait  a  minute,  though!  With  the  chances 


THE     FALL     OF     MAN  213 

more  than  even  that  it 's  Tommy's  own  —  Until  he 
makes  good  on  the  dam,  nobody  would  take  his  word 
against  that  lallapaloozer's." 

"I  —  er  —  beg  pardon.  I  fail  to  take  you,"  said 
Lord  James. 

"  Just  the  question  of  his  finding  out  something 
that 's  apt  to  make  him  manhandle  young  Ashton." 

"  Ah  —  all  the  better,  I  say.  Anything  to  divert  his 
mind." 

Griffith  looked  at  the  Englishman  with  an  approv- 
ing smile.  "  You  sure  are  the  goods,  Mr.  Scarbridge ! 
It  '11  take  two  or  three  days  for  him  to  fight  down  the 
craving,  even  with  all  the  help  we  can  give  him.  Wait 
a  minute  till  I  phone  to  a  drug-store." 

He  shuffled  out  through  a  side  doorway  that  led  into 
his  private  office.  While  he  was  telephoning,  Lord 
James  heard  low  moans  from  the  bedroom.  He 
clenched  his  hands,  but  he  did  not  go  in  to  his  friend  un- 
til Griffith  returned  and  crossed  to  the  inner  door. 

"  Come  in,  Mr.  Scarbridge,"  he  said.  "  Next  thing 
is  to  see  if  we  can  talk  him  into  going  to  Michamac." 


CHAPTER  XX 

DE    PROFUNDIS 

HE   opened  the  door  and,  seemingly  heedless 
of  all  else,  hastened  through  to   the  bath- 
room, to   shut   off  the  flow  of  the  shower. 
Lord   James   followed  him   as   far  as   the   corner   cot, 
where  Blake,  wet-haired  and  half  dressed,   sat  bowed 
far  over,  his  elbows  on  his  knees  and  his  face  between 
his  hands. 

"  Head  ache,  old  man?  " 

Blake  raised  his  head  barely  enough  for  his  friend 
to  catch  a  glimpse  of  his  haggard  face  and  miserable 
eyes. 

"  Come  now,  Tommy,"  snapped  Griffith,  shuffling 
back  from  the  bathroom,  "  we  all  admit  you  've  made 
a  damned  fool  of  yourself ;  but  what 's  the  use  of 
grouching?  Sit  up  now  —  look  pleasant ! "  He 
swung  around  a  chair  for  Lord  James,  and  seated  him- 
self in  an  old  rocker.  "  Come,  sit  up,  Tommy.  We  're 
going  to  hold  an  inquest  on  the  remains." 

"  They  need  it  —  that 's  no  lie,"  mumbled  Blake. 

"  Bah!  Cherk  up,  you  rooster !  It  is  n't  the  first 
time  you  've  lost  your  feet.  Maybe  your  feelings  are 
jolted,  but  —  the  instrument  is  safe.  Remember  that 
time  you  fell  down  the  fifty-foot  bank  and  never  even 

214 


DE     PROFUNDIS  215 

knocked  your  transit  out  of  adjustment?  You  never 
let  go  of  your  grip  on  it !  Come ;  you  '11  soon  be  streak- 
ing out  again,  same  as  ever." 

"  No,  you  're  clean  off  this  time,  Grif."  Instead  of 
raising  his  head,  Blake  hunched  over  still  lower.  He 
went  on  in  a  dreary  monotone,  "  No,  I  'm  done  for  this 
trip  —  down  for  the  count.  I  'm  all  in." 

"  Rot !  "  protested  Lord  James. 

"  All  in,  for  keeps,  this  time.  I  'm  not  too  big  a 
fool  to  see  that.  Everything  coming  my  way, —  and 
to  go  and  chuck  it  all  like  this.  Need  n't  tell  me 
she  '11  overlook  it.  Would  n't  ask  her  to.  I  'm  not 
worth  it." 

"  She  's  got  to ! "  cried  Griffith,  with  sudden  heat. 
"  She  steered  you  up  against  this." 

"  What  if  she  did  ?  Only  makes  it  all  the  worse. 
Did  n't  have  sand  enough  to  refuse.  I  'm  no  good, 
that 's  all  —  not  fit  to  look  at  her  —  she 's  a  lady.  You 
need  n't  cut  in  with  any  hot  air.  I  'm  no  more  'n  a 
blackguard  that  got  my  chance  to  impose  on  her  — 
and  took  it.  That 's  the  only  name  for  it  —  young 
girl  all  alone !  " 

"No,  no,  old  man,  just  the  contrary,  believe  me!" 
exclaimed  Lord  James.  "  I  doubt  if  I  myself  could 
have  done  what  you  did  when  she  —  er  — " 

"  'Cause  there  'd  have  been  no  need.  You  're  in  her 
class,  while  I — "  He  groaned,  and  burst  out  mo- 
rosely :  "  You  know  I  'm  not,  both  of  you.  What 's 
the  use  of  lying?  " 

The  two  friends  glanced  across  at  each  other  and  were 
silent. 


216         OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

Blake  went  on  again,  in  his  hopeless,  dreary  mono- 
tone. "  Down  and  out  —  down  and  out.  Only  son 
of  his  mother,  and  she  a  drunkard.  Nothing  like 
Scripture,  Jimmy,  for  consoling  texts." 

He  began  to  quote,  with  an  added  bitterness  in  his 
despair :  "  '  Woe  unto  them  that  are  mighty  to  drink, 
and  men  of  strength  to  mingle  strong  drink  .  .  . 
their  root  shall  be  as  rottenness,  and  their  blossom  shall 
go  up  as  dust — '  *  Awake,  ye  drunkards,  and  weep 
and  howl,  all  ye  drinkers  of  wine.'  '  For  while  they  are 
drunken  as  drunkards,  they  shall  be  devoured  as  stubble 
fully  dry.' — Dry?  Good  Lord!  Ring  up  a  can  of 
suds,  Grif .  I  Jve  got  ten  miles  of  alkali  desert  down  my 
throat!" 

"  All  right,  Tommy,"  said  Griffith.  "  We  '11  soon  fix 
that.  I  've  sent  in  an  order  already." 

"You  have  not!"  rejoined  Blake,  in  an  incredulous 
growl.  "  Well,  suppose  you  ring  'em  up  again.  If 
that  can  does  n't  get  here  mighty  sudden,  I  '11  save  the 
fellow  the  trouble  of  bringing  it." 

"  Hold  on,  young  man,"  ordered  Griffith,  as  Blake 
started  to  heave  himself  to  his  feet.  "  I  'm  running  this 
soiree" 

He  stood  up  and  shuffled  out  into  the  front  room. 
Blake  shifted  around  restlessly,  and  was  again  about  to 
rise,  when  there  came  a  sharp  rapping  at  the  outer  door. 

"  That 's  the  man  now,"  said  Lord  James.  "  Hold 
tight.  It  will  now  be  only  a  moment." 

Blake  restrained  himself.  But  it  was  a  very  long  mo- 
ment before  Griffith  came  in  with  a  pitcher  and  three 
glasses  upon  a  battered  tray.  At  the  tinkle  of  the 


He  went  on  in  a  dreary   monotone,  "  No,  I'm  done  for  this 
trip —  down  for  the  count.      I'm  all  in  " 


DEPROFUNDIS  217 

glasses  Blake  looked  up,  his  face  aflame.  He  made  a 
clutch  at  the  pitcher. 

Griffith  gave  him  his  shoulder,  and  cackled :  "  Don't 
play  the  hog,  Tommy.  I  sve  been  up  in  Canada  enough 
to  know  that  the  nobility  always  get  first  helping.  Eh, 
Lord  Scarb ridge  ?  " 

"  You  —  you  — "  gasped  Blake. 

"  But  this  time,"  went  on  Griffith,  hastily  pouring  out 
a  brimming  glassful  of  liquid  from  the  pitcher,  "  we  '11 
make  an  exception." 

He  turned  about  quickly,  and  with  his  hand  clasped 
over  the  top  of  the  glass,  reached  it  out  to  Blake.  Half 
maddened  by  his  thirst,  the  latter  clutched  the  glass,  and, 
without  pausing  to  look  at  its  contents,  drained  it  at 
a  gulp.  An  instant  later  the  glass  shattered  to  frag- 
ments on  the  floor,  and  Blake's  fist  flung  out  toward 
Griffith. 

"  Quassia !"  he  growled.  "  You  dotty  old  idiot ! 
Need  n't  think  you  're  going  to  head  me  off  this  soon !  " 

Griffith  set  the  tray  on  his  bed,  and  crossing  to  the 
door,  locked  it  and  put  the  key  in  his  pocket. 

"  Now,  Tommy,"  he  croaked,  "  you  've  got  just  two 
friends  that  I  know  of.  They  're  here.  Maybe  you  can 
take  the  key  from  us ;  but  you  know  what  you  '11  have 
to  do  to  us  first." 

Blake  stared  at  him  with  morose,  bloodshot  eyes. 

"  You  're  dotty ! "  he  growled.  "  You  know  you  can't 
stop  me,  once  I  'm  under  way.  I  don't  want  to  rough- 
house  it,  but  I  want  something  for  this  thirst,  and  I  'm 
going  to  have  it.  Understand  ?  " 

"  H'm.     If  that 's  all,"  said  Griffith. 


218          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  That  's  all,  if  you  're  reasonable,"  replied  Blake  less 
morosely.  "  They  gave  me  all  I  wanted  when  I  took  the 
gold  cure." 

"  Cured  you,  too,"  jeered  Griffith. 

"  That 's  all  right.  The  point  now  is,  do  I  get  some- 
thing? If  I  do,  I  agree  to  stay  here.  If  I  don't,  I  'm 
going  out." 

"  Try  another  glass  of  this  while  you  're  waiting," 
suggested  Lord  James,  and  he  poured  out  a  second  glass- 
ful of  the  bitter  decoction. 

"  No,"  answered  Blake. 

"  You  tossed  down  the  other  too  fast.  Sip  it. 
You  '11  find  that  it  will  ease  the  dryness  while  you  are 
waiting,"  insisted  Lord  James.  "  Try  it,  to  oblige 
me." 

"  Ugh!  '*  growled  Blake.  He  hesitated,  then  reluc- 
tantly took  the  glass  and  began  to  sip  the  quassia.  After 
the  last  swallow,  he  turned  sullenly  to  Griffith.  "  Well, 
what  you  waiting  for?  Get  a  move  on  you." 

"  It  does  help,  does  n't  it?  "  interposed  Lord  James. 

Blake  muttered  something  behind  his  lips  that  the 
others  chose  to  take  for  assent. 

"  Yes,  it 's  the  real  thing,"  said  Griffith.  "  Try  an- 
other, Tommy,  same  way." 

"  Another?  Bah!  You  can't  fool  me.  I  'm  on  to 
your  game." 

"  Sure  you  are,"  assented  Griffith.  "  What 's  more, 
you  're  sober  enough  now  to  know  that  our  game  is  your 
game.  Own  up.  Don't  lie." 

Blake  looked  down  morosely,  and  for  a  long  quarter 
of  a  minute  his  friends  waited  in  anxious  suspense.  At 


DE     PROFUNDIS  219 

last,  without  looking  up,  he  held  out  his  empty  glass  for 
Lord  James  to  refill  it.  The  second  battle  was  won. 

As  Lord  James  took  the  glass,  Griffith  interposed. 
"  Hold  on.  We  '11  keep  that  for  later.  I  've  something 
else  now." 

"  More  dope ! "  growled  Blake. 

"  No,  good  stuff  to  offset  the  effects  of  the  poison 
you  've  been  swilling  since  morning.  Next  course  is 
bromide  of  potassium." 

"  Take  your  medicine,  bo ! "  chimed  in  Lord  James. 

"  Ugh!  "  groaned  Blake.  "  Dish  it  out,  then.  Only 
don't  forget.  You  know,  well  as  I  do,  that  if  the  crav- 
ing comes  on  that  bad  again,  I  'm  bound  to  have  a  drink. 
I  tell  you,  I  can't  help  myself.  I  've  told  you  about  it 
time  and  again.  It 's  hell  till  I  get  enough  aboard  to 
make  me  forget.  You  know  I  don't  like  the  stuff.  I  've 
hated  the  very  smell  of  it  since  before  my  first  real 
spree." 

Griffith  shot  a  significant  glance  at  Lord  James. 
"  That 's  all  right,  Tommy, —  we  understand  how  it  is. 
But  we  've  got  hold  of  it  this  time.  You  '11  never  quit 
if  you  can  help  it,  and  we  know  now  you  can  help  it, 
with  this  quassia  to  keep  your  throat  from  sizzling. 
Here  's  your  bromide." 

Blake  gulped  down  the  dose,  but  muttered  despond- 
ently:  "  What 's  the  use?  You  know  you  can't  head  me 
off  for  keeps,  once  I  'm  as  far  under  way  as  I  've  got 
to-day.  Think  you  're  going  to  stop  me  now,  do  you  ?  " 

"  That 's  what,"  re j  oined  Griffith.  "  You  '11  think  the 
same  in  about  ten  minutes.  I  'm  going  to  talk  to  you 
like  a  Dutch  uncle." 


220         OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  And  I  've  got  to  sit  here  while  you  unwind  your 
jaw!  Cut  it  short.  Don't  see  why  you  want  to  chin, 
anyway.  All  that 's  left  is  to  haul  me  to  the  scrap- 
heap.  .  .  .  You  don't  think  I  'd  go  near  her  after 
this,  do  you  ?  I  've  got  a  little  decency  left.  Only 
thing  I  can  do  is  to  open  wide  and  cut  loose.  D.  T. 
finish  is  the  one  for  me.  Won't  take  long  for  her  to 
forget  me.  Any  fool  can  see  that." 

"  We  're  going  up  to  Michamac,  first  thing  to- 
morrow," remarked  Griffith  in  a  casual  tone. 

"  You  may  be.     I  'm  not." 

"  It 's  all  arranged,  Tammas,"  drawled  Lord  James. 
"I  told  Miss  Leslie—" 

"  You  told  her !  Mighty  friendly  of  you !  Good 
thing,  though.  Sooner  she  knows  just  what  I  am,  the 
better.  How  soon  do  you  figure  on  the  wedding?  " 

"  Chuck  it,  you  duffer ! "  exclaimed  the  Englishman, 
flushing  scarlet.  "  I  did  n't  tell  her  this.  She  does  n't 
know." 

Blake's  haggard  face  lighted  with  a  flash  of  hope, 
only  to  settle  back  into  black  despair. 

"  She  '11  learn  soon  enough.  I  'm  done  for,  for  good, 
this  trip !  "  he  groaned.  He  clenched  his  fist  and  bent 
forward  to  glare  at  them  in  sullen  fury.  "  Damn  you ! 
Call  yourselves  my  friends,  and  sit  here  yawping,  you 
damned  Job's  comforters  !  Think  I  'm  a  mummy  ?  — 
when  I  've  lost  her !  God !  —  to  sit  here  with  my  brains 
going  —  to  know  I  've  lost  all  —  all !  Give  me  some 
whiskey  —  anything !  .  .  .  My  girl  —  my  girl !  " 

He  bent  over,  writhing  and  panting,  in  an  agony  of 
remorse. 


DE     PROFUNDIS  221 

Griffith  fetched  a  tablet  and  a  glass  of  water,  to  which 
he  added  some  of  the  quassia. 

"  Here 's  your  dose  of  sulphonal,"  he  said,  in  his 
driest,  most  matter-of-fact  tone.  "  You  've  got  to  get 
to  sleep.  It 's  an  early  train." 

"  What  's  the  use  ?  Leave  me  alone ! "  groaned 
Blake. 

"  Gad,  old  man,"  put  in  Lord  James.  "  Any  one  who 
did  n't  know  you  would  think  you  were  a  quitter." 

"  What 's  the  use  ?     I  've  lost  out.     I  'm  smashed." 

"  All  right.  Let 's  call  it  a  smashup,"  croaked  Grif- 
fith. "  Just  the  same,  you  don't  go  out  of  commission 
till  you  've  squared  accounts.  You  're  not  going  to 
leave  the  Zariba  Dam  in  the  air." 

"  Guess  I  've  got  enough  on  paper  for  you  to  work 
out  the  solution,  if  it 's  workable." 

"  And  if  not?  " 

"  I  'm  all  in,  I  tell  you.     I  'm  smashed  for  good." 

"  No,  you  're  not.  Anyway,  there 's  one  thing 
you  've  got  to  do.  You  've  got  to  settle  about  that 
bridge.  You've  been  too  busy  over  the  dam  to  think 
of  asking  for  a  look  at  Ashton's  plans,  and  I  've  said 
nothing.  I  've  been  waiting  for  you  to  make  good  on 
the  dam.  With  that  behind  you,  no  engineer  in  the 
U.  S.  would  doubt  your  word  if  you  claimed  the 
bridge." 

"  What  of  that?  What  do  I  care?  "  muttered  Blake. 
"  The  game  's  up.  What 's  the  use?  " 

"  This !  "  snapped  Griffith.  "  Either  Laffie  Ashton  is 
a  dirty  sneak  thief,  or  he  's  a  man  that  deserves  my 
apologies.  It 's  a  question  of  fair  play  to  me  as  well  as 


222         OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

to  him.  You  're  square,  Tom.  You  '11  come  up  to 
Michamac  with  me  and  settle  this  matter." 

"  Lord !  Why  can't  you  let  me  alone  ?  "  groaned 
Blake.  But  he  took  the  sulphonal  and  washed  it  down 
with  the  quassia-flavored  water. 

Lord  James  went  out  into  the  office  to  phone  his  man 
at  the  hotel  to  fetch  over  clothes  for  a  short  trip. 
When  he  reentered  the  bedroom  Blake  was  stretched 
out  in  bed,  and  Griffith  was  spreading  a  blanket  for  him- 
self on  the  floor. 

"  Should  I  not  run  over  to  my  hotel  for  the  night?  " 
remarked  the  Englishman.  "  Don't  want  to  put  you 
out  of  your  bed,  y'  know." 

"  No.  I  sleep  as  well,  or  better,  on  the  floor.  We 
want  to  be  sure  of  an  early  start,"  said  Griffith. 

Blake  rose  on  his  elbow  and  blinked  at  them.  His 
eyes  were  still  bloodshot  and  his  face  haggard,  but  the 
change  in  his  voice  was  unmistakably  for  the  better. 
"  Say,  bos,  it  does  pay  to  have  friends  —  sometimes !  " 

"Forget  it!"  rejoined  Griffith.  "You  go  to 
snoozing.  It's  an  early  train,  remember.'* 

Blake  sighed  drowsily,  and  stretched  out  again  on  the 
flat  of  his  back.  Within  a  minute  he  was  fast  asleep. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

THE    BRIDGE 

AT  dawn  they  roused  him  out  of  his  drugged 
sleep  and  gave  him  a  showerbath  and  rub- 
down  that  brought  a  healthy  glow  to  his  cold 
skin.  He  turned  pale  at  the  mere  mention  of  food,  but 
after  a  drink  of  quassia,  Griffith  induced  him  to  take 
a  cup  of  clear  coffee  and  some  thickly  buttered  toast. 
After  that  the  three  hastened  in  a  cab  to  the  station, 
stopping  on  the  way  to  buy  half  a  case  each  of  grape- 
fruit and  oranges.  Aboard  the  train  Blake  was  at  once 
set  to  eating  grapefruit  and  chewing  the  bitter  pith 
to  allay  the  burning  of  his  terrible  thirst. 

Throughout  the  trip,  which  lasted  until  mid-after- 
noon, one  or  the  other  of  the  two  friends  was  ever 
at  his  side,  ready  to  urge  more  of  the  acid  fruit  upon 
him  and  continually  seeking  to  divert  and  entertain 
him  by  cheerful  talk.  Until  after  the  noon  hour  they 
were  on  the  main  line  and  had  the  benefit  of  the  dining- 
car.  Griffith  ordered  a  hearty  meal,  more  dinner  than 
luncheon,  and  Blake  was  able  to  eat  the  greater  part 
of  a  spring  chicken. 

The  most  trying  and  critical  time  during  the  trip 
was  the  short  wait  at  the  junction,  where  they  trans- 
ferred to  the  old  daycoach  that  was  attached  to  the 

223 


224          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

train  of  structural  steel  for  the  Michamac  Bridge. 
Blake  caught  sight  of  a  saloon,  and  the  associations 
roused  by  it  quickened  his  craving  to  an  almost  irre- 
sistible fury.  When,  none  too  soon,  the  train  pulled 
out  of  the  little  town,  he  sank  back  in  his  seat  morose 
and  almost  exhausted  by  his  struggle. 

Though  Lord  James  made  every  effort  to  rouse  him 
to  a  more  cheerful  mood,  his  face  was  still  sullen  and 
heavy  when  the  train  clanked  in  over  the  switches  of 
the  material  yards  at  the  bridge.  Before  they  left  the 
car  Griffith  made  certain  that  Blake  was  wrapped  about 
in  overcoat  and  muffler  and  had  on  the  arctics  that  he 
had  bought  for  him. 

Having  directed  one  of  the  trainmen  to  bring  the 
boxes  of  fruit  to  the  office,  Griffith  led  the  way  up  the 
path  formed  by  the  bridge-service  track.  The  rails  had 
been  kept  shovelled  clear  from  the  February  snow- 
drifts and  ran  straight  out  through  the  midst  of  the 
bleak  unlovely  buildings  grouped  near  the  edge  of 
Michamac  Strait,  at  the  southern  terminus  of  the  bridge. 

Hardly  had  the  three  passengers  stepped  from  the 
train,  when  Blake  lifted  his  head  for  a  clear  view  of 
the  big  electric  derricks,  the  vast  orderly  piles  of  struc- 
tural steel,  floor  beams,  and  planking,  the  sheds  con- 
taining paint,  machinery,  and  other  stores,  the  gorged 
coal-bins,  and  all  the  other  evidences  of  a  vast  work 
of  engineering. 

His  gaze  followed  the  bridge-service  track  past  the 
cookhouse  and  bunkhouse  and  the  storehouses,  out  across 
the  completed  shore  span  to  the  gigantic  structure  of 
the  south  cantilever.  Far  beyond,  between  its  lofty 


THEBRIDGE  225 

skeleton  towers  and  upsweeping  side  webs,  appeared, 
in  seemingly  reduced  proportions,  the  towers  and  webs 
of  the  north  cantilever,  across  on  the  north  edge  of 
the  channel  of  the  strait. 

Blake  drew  in  a  deep  breath,  and  stared  at  the  titanic 
structure,  eager-eyed.  There  was  no  need  for  Lord 
James  to  nudge  Griffith.  The  engineer  had  not  missed 
a  single  shade  of  the  great  change  in  Blake's  ex- 
pression. He  asked  casually,  "  Well,  how  does  the 
first  sight  strike  you,  Tommy  ?  " 

"  You  did  n't  say  she  was  so  far  along,"  replied 
Blake. 

"  Did  n't  I  ?  H.  V.,  you  know,  has  a  pull  with  the 
Steel  Trust.  We  've  had  our  material  delivered  in  short 
order,  no  matter  who  else  waited.  North  cantilever  is 
completed ;  ditto  the  south,  except  for  part  of  the  timber- 
ing and  flooring.  The  central  span  is  built  out  a 
third  of  the  way  from  the  north  'lever.  But  several 
miles  of  the  feed  track  on  that  side  the  strait  have 
been  put  into  such  bad  shape  by  the  weather  that 
we  '11  have  the  central  span  completed  from  this  side 
before  the  road  over  there  is  open  again." 

"  That  so?  "  said  Blake.  "  I  want  to  see  about  that 
span." 

"  We  '11  go  out  for  a  look  at  once,  soon  as  we  dump 
our  baggage  in  on  Laffie,"  said  Griffith. 

"  Is  that  thing  here?  "  growled  Blake. 

"  Now,  just  you  keep  on  your  shirt,  Tommy,"  warned 
Griffith.  "  He  may  be  here,  or  he  may  n't.  You  are 
here  to  look  at  the  Michamac  Bridge  and  hold  on  to 

yourself.     Understand  ?  " 
is 


226          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

Blake  scowled  and  stared  menacingly  toward  a 
snow-embanked,  snow-covered  building,  the  verandahs 
of  which  distinguished  it  as  the  office  and  quarters  of  the 
Resident  Engineer. 

"  I  want  your  promise  you  '11  do  nothing  or  say 
nothing  to  him  till  after  you  've  made  good  on  the 
Zariba  Dam,"  went  on  Griffith.  "  You  don't  want  your 
blast  to  go  off  before  you  've  tamped  the  hole." 

Blake's  scowl  deepened,  and  he  clenched  his  fist  in 
its  thick  fur  glove.  But  after  a  long  moment  he  an- 
swered morosely,  "  Guess  you  're  right.  He  holds  the 
cards  on  me  now  and  has  the  drop.  But  if  I  find  he 
slipped  the  aces  out  of  my  hand,  it  won't  be  long  before 
I  get  the  drop  on  him." 

"  And  then  something  will  drop  !  "  added  Lord  James. 

"  I  '11  smash  him  —  the  dirty  sneak !  "  growled  Blake. 

"  Now,  now,  Tommy ;  you  're  not  sure  yet,"  cau- 
tioned Griffith. 

"  That  so  ?  "  replied  Blake  in  a  tone  that  brought  a 
glint  of  excitement  into  the  worn  eyes  of  the  older 
engineer. 

But  before  he  could  speak,  a  silk-robed  figure  stepped 
out  onto  the  verandah  of  the  Resident  Engineer's  office, 
and  called  delightedly,  "  Ah,  Lord  Avondale !  —  wel- 
come to  Michamac !  You  escaped  my  hospitality  in 
town,  but  you  can't  here ! " 

"  Thanks.  Very  good  of  you,  I  'm  sure,"  replied 
Lord  James  dryly. 

"  I  see  you  've  come  with  old  Grif ,"  Ashton  gayly 
rattled  on.  "Hello,  Griffith!  Hurry  in,  all  of  you. 


THEBRIDGE  227 

It 's  cold  as  the  South  Pole.  I  '11  have  a  punch  brewed 
in  two  shakes.  Who  's  the  other  gentleman?  " 

At  the  question,  Blake,  who  had  been  staring  fixedly 
at  the  bridge,  turned  his  muffled  face  full  to  the  effu- 
sive welcomer.  Before  his  hard,  impassive  look  Ashton 
shivered  as  if  suddenly  struck  through  to  the  marrow  by 
the  cold. 

"  Blake !  "  he  gasped.     "  Here  ?  " 

"  No  objections,  have  you?  "  asked  Blake  in  a  non- 
committal tone.  "  Just  thought  I  'd  run  up  with  Mr. 
Griffith  and  take  a  look  at  your  bridge.  He  says  it 's 
worth  seeing.  But  of  course,  if  you  don't  allow  visi- 
tors — " 

"  Just  the  opposite,  Tommy,"  put  in  Griffith,  quick 
to  catch  his  cue.  "  Mr.  Ashton  is  always  glad  to  have 
his  bridge  examined  by  those  who  know  what 's  what. 
Is  n't  that  so,  Mr.  Ashton  ?  " 

"  Why,  of  —  of  course  —  I  — "  stammered  Ashton, 
his  teeth  chattering. 

"  Sure,"  went  on  Griffith.  "  Any  man  who 's  in- 
vented such  a  modification  of  the  truss  as  this  bridge 
shows,  ought  to  have  all  the  fame  he  can  get  out  of  it. 
In  England  he  'd  be  made  a  lord,  I  suppose.  Eh,  Mr. 
Scarbridge?  " 

"  Er  —  we  've  knighted  brewers  and  soap-boilers. 
But  then,  y'  know,  with  us  beer  and  soap  are  two  of 
the  necessities,"  drawled  Lord  James. 

"  W-won't  you  come  in?"  urged  Ashton.  "It's 
chi-illy  out  here !  I  '11  have  that  punch  brewed  in  half 
a  s-second." 


228          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"My  God!"  gasped  Blake,  his  jaws  clenched  and 
face  black  with  the  agony  of  his  temptation. 

All  unintentionally  Ashton  had  turned  the  tables  on 
his  tormentors. 

Griffith  scowled  at  him  and  demanded :  "  Where  's 
McGraw?" 

"  B-bunkhouse,"  answered  Ashton. 

Griffith  spoke  to  Lord  James  in  a  low  tone.  "  Go  in 
and  keep  him  there,  will  you?  Might  stay  with  him 
all  night.  We  '11  stop  at  the  bunkhouse." 

"  I  'm  on,"  said  Lord  James. 

Griffith  raised  his  voice.  "  Well,  then,  if  you  prefer 
it  that  way,  Mr.  Scarbridge.  It 's  true  Ashton  can 
make  you  more  comfortable,  and  I  '11  be  busy  half  the 
night  checking  over  reports  and  so  forth  with  McGraw. 
Ashton,  if  you  '11  send  over  your  report,  it  '11  leave 
you  free  to  entertain  Mr.  Scarbridge.  And  say,  send 
over  the  boxes  that  '11  be  coming  along  in  a  little  while. 
I  'm  trying  a  diet  of  grapefruit."  He  turned  to  Blake. 
"  Come  on.  We  don't  want  to  keep  Mr.  Ashton  out  here, 
to  shiver  a  screw  loose." 

Blake  uttered  an  inarticulate  growl,  but  turned  away 
with  Griffith  as  Lord  James  sprang  up  the  verandah 
steps  and  blandly  led  the  vacillating  Resident  Engineer 
into  his  quarters.  The  visiting  engineers  crossed  over 
to  the  big  ungainly  bunkhouse,  and  entered  the  section 
divided  off  for  the  bosses  and  steel  workers  and  the 
other  skilled  men. 

Within  was  babel.  Kept  indoors  by  the  cold  that 
enforced  idleness  on  all  the  bridge  force,  the  men  were 
crowded  thickly  about  their  reading  and  card  tables 


THEBRIDGE  229 

or  outstretched  in  their  bunks,  talking,  laughing, 
grumbling,  singing,  brooding  —  each  according  to  his 
mood  and  disposition,  but  almost  all  smoking. 

At  sight  of  Griffith  a  half -hundred  voices  roared  out 
a  rough  but  hearty  welcome  that  caused  Blake's  face 
to  lighten  with  a  flush  of  pleasure.  The  greeting  ended 
in  a  cheer,  started  by  one  of  the  Irish  foremen. 

Griffith  sniffed  at  the  foul,  smoke-reeking  air,  and 
looked  doubtfully  at  Blake.  He  held  up  his  hand. 
Across  the  hush  that  fell  upon  the  room  quavered  a 
doleful  wail  from  the  Irish  foreman :  "  Laave  av 
hivin,  Misther  Griffith,  can't  ye  broibe  tin.9  weather 
bur-r-reau  ?  Me  Schlovaks  an'  th'  Eyetalians  '11  be 
afther  a-knifin'  wan  another,  give  'em  wan  wake  more 
av  this." 

"  There  are  indications  that  the  cold  snap  will  break 
within  a  week,"  replied  Griffith.  "  You  '11  be  at  it, 
full  blast,  in  two  or  three  days.  Where's  McGraw?  " 

A  big,  fat,  stolid-faced  man  ploughed  forward  between 
the  crowded  tables.  As  he  came  up,  he  held  out  a 
pudgy  hand,  and  grunted :  "  Huh !  Glad  t'  see  you." 

Griffith  shook  hands,  and  motioned  toward  Blake. 
"  My  friend  Mr.  Blake.  Trying  to  get  him  to  take 
charge  here  —  nominally  as  Assistant  Engineer  —  in 
case  I  have  to  go  to  Florida." 

McGraw's  deep-set  little  eyes  lingered  for  a  moment 
on  the  stranger's  mouth  and  jaw.  "  Good  thing,"  he 
grunted. 

"  The  company  is  offering  him  double  what  Mr. 
Ashton  gets ;  but  he 's  not  anxious  to  take  it  as  Assist- 
ant." 


230          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

The  big  general  foreman  was  moved  out  of  his 
phlegmatic  stolidity.  "Huh?  He 's  not?  " 

"  Not  under  that  thing,"  put  in  Blake  grimly. 

"  Must  know  him." 

"  He  may  change  his  mind,"  said  Griffith.  "  The 
company  has  authorized  me  to  make  it  a  standing  offer. 
So  if  he  turns  up  any  time  — " 

McGraw  nodded,  and  offered  his  hand  to  Blake. 
"  Hope  you  '11  come.  C'n  do  m'  own  work.  Bridge 
needs  an  engineer,  though  —  resident  one." 

"  H'm, —  Mr.  Ashton  might  call  that  a  slap  on  the 
wrist,"  remarked  Griffith.  "  Get  on  your  coat.  We  're 
going  out  to  the  bridge." 

McGraw  headed  across  for  his  separate  room. 
While  waiting  for  him,  Griffith  introduced  Blake  to  the 
engine-driver  of  the  bridge-service  train,  two  or  three 
foremen,  and  several  of  the  bridge  workers.  But  the 
moment  McGraw  reappeared  in  arctics  and  Mackinaw 
coat,  Griffith  hurriedly  led  the  way  out  of  the  smother 
of  smoke  and  foul  air. 

As  the  three  started  bridgeward  along  the  clean- 
shovelled  service-track  Blake  fell  in  behind  his 
companions.  Seeing  that  he  did  not  wish  to  talk, 
Griffith  walked  on  in  the  lead  with  McGraw. 

They  were  soon  swinging  out  across  the  shore,  or 
approach,  span  of  the  bridge.  This  extended  from  the 
high  ground  on  the  south  side  of  the  strait  to  an  in- 
ner pier  at  the  edge  of  the  water,  where  it  joined  on  to 
the  anchor  arm  of  the  south  cantilever.  Almost  all 
the  area  of  the  bridge  flooring,  which  had  been  com- 
pleted to  beyond  the  centre  of  the  cantilever,  was  covered 


THE     BRIDGE  231 

with  stacked  lumber  and  piles  of  structural  steel  and 
rails,  and  kegs  of  nails,  rivets,  and  bolts. 

Here  every  chink  and  crevice  was  packed  with  snow 
and  ice.  But  all  the  titanic  steel  structure  above  and 
the  unfloored  bottom-chords  and  girders  of  the  outer, 
or  extension,  arm  of  the  cantilever  had  been  swept  bare 
of  snow  by  the  winter  gales  and  left  glistening  with 
the  glaze  of  the  last  shower  of  sleet. 

Blake  swung  steadily  along  after  the  others,  his  face 
impassive.  But  his  eyes  scrutinized  with  fierce  eager- 
ness the  immense  webs  of  steel  posts  and  diagonals  that 
ran  up  on  either  side,  under  the  grand  vertical  curves 
of  the  top-chords,  almost  to  the  peaks  of  the  cantilever 
towers.  He  had  to  tilt  back  his  head  to  see  the  tops 
of  those  huge  steel  columns,  which  reared  their  peaks 
two  hundred  and  fifty  feet  above  the  bridge-floor  level 
and  a  round  four  hundred  feet  above  the  water  of  the 
strait. 

Presently  the  three  were  passing  the  centre  of  the 
cantilever,  between  the  gigantic  towers,  whose  iron  heels 
were  socketed  far  below  in  the  top-plates  of  the  massive 
concrete  piers,  built  on  the  very  edge  of  deep  water. 
From  this  point  the  outer  arm  of  the  cantilever  extended 
far  out  over  the  broad  chasm  of  the  strait,  where,  a 
hundred  and  fifty  feet  beneath  its  unfloored  level,  the 
broken  ice  from  the  upper  lake  crashed  and  thundered 
on  its  wild  passage  of  the  strait. 

Blake  looked  down  carelessly  into  the  abyss  of  grind- 
ing, hurtling  ice  cakes.  The  drop  from  that  dizzy 
height  would  of  itself  have  meant  certain  death.  Yet 
without  a  second  glance  at  the  ice-covered  waters,  he 


232          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

followed  his  companions  along  the  narrow  walk  of 
sleeted  planks  that  ran  out  alongside  the  service-track. 
Though  his  gaze  frequently  shifted  downward  as  well 
as  upward,  it  went  no  farther  than  the  ponderous 
chords  and  girders  and  posts  of  the  bridge's  frame- 
work. 

Striding  along  the  narrow  runway  of  ice-glazed 
planks  with  the  assurance  of  goats,  the  three  at  last 
passed  under  the  main  traveller,  a  huge  structure  of 
eleven  hundred  tons'  weight  that  straddled  the  bridge's 
sides  and  rose  higher  than  the  towers.  Its  electro- 
magnetic cranes  were  folded  together  and  cemented  in 
place  by  the  ice. 

A  few  yards  beyond  they  came  to  the  end  of  the 
extension  arm  of  the  cantilever  and  out  upon  the  un- 
completed first  section  of  the  central,  or  suspension, 
span.  It  was  poised  high  in  space,  far  out  over  the 
dizzy  abyss.  Many  yards  away,  across  a  yawning  gap, 
the  completed  north  third  of  the  suspension  span 
reached  out,  above  the  gulf,  from  the  tip  of  the  north 
cantilever,  like  the  arm  of  a  Titan  straining  to  clasp 
hands  with  his  brother  of  the  south  shore. 

Yet  the  mid-air  companionship  of  this  outreaching 
skeleton-arm  served  only  to  heighten  the  giddiness  and 
seeming  instability  of  the  south-side  overhang.  From 
across  the  broad  gap,  the  eye  followed  the  curve  of 
the  bottom-chords  of  the  north  cantilever  away  down 
into  the  abyss  toward  the  far  shore  of  the  strait,  where 
the  lofty  towers  upreared  upon  their  massive  piers. 

From  this  viewpoint  there  was  no  relieving  glimpse 
of  the  shoreward  curving  anchor-arm  that  balanced  the 


THE     BRIDGE  £33 

outer  half  of  the  north  cantilever  alike  in  line  and  weight. 
There  was  only  the  vast  upcurve  of  the  top-chords  and 
the  stupendous  down-curve  of  the  bottom-chords  and 
the  line  between  that  stood  for  the  foreshortened  six- 
teen hundred  feet  of  bridge-floor  level  extending  from 
the  north  shore  to  the  swaying  tip  of  that  unanchored 
north  third  of  the  central  span. 

Few  even  among  men  accustomed  to  great  heights 
could  have  stood  anywhere  upon  the  outer  reach  of 
the  overhang  without  a  feeling  of  nausea  and  vertigo. 
Not  only  did  the  gigantic  structure  on  the  far  side 
of  the  gap  seem  continually  on  the  verge  of  toppling 
forward  into  the  abyss,  but  the  end  of  the  south  can- 
tilever likewise  quivered  and  swayed,  and  the  mad  flow 
of  the  roaring,  ice-covered  waters  beneath  added  to  the 
giddiness  of  height  the  terrifying  illusion  that  the 
immense  steel  skeleton  had  torn  loose  from  its  anchor- 
age to  earth  and  was  hurtling  up  the  strait  through 
mid-air,  ready  to  crash  down  to  destruction  the  instant 
its  winged  driving-force  failed. 

Yet  Griffith  and  Blake  followed  McGraw  out  to  the 
extreme  end  of  the  icy  walk  and  poised  themselves, 
shoulder  to  wind,  on  narrow  sleet-glazed  steel  beams, 
as  unconcerned  as  sailors  on  a  yardarm.  Griffith  and 
McGraw  were  absorbed  in  a  minute  inspection  of  the 
bridge's  condition  and  in  estimating  the  time  it  would 
take  to  throw  forward  the  remaining  sections  of  the 
central,  or  suspension,  span,  upon  the  termination  of 
the  irksome  spell  of  extreme  frosty  weather. 

Blake  looked,  as  they  looked,  at  post  and  diagonal, 
eyebolt  and  bottom-chord,  and  across  the  gap  at  the 


234          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

swaying  tip  of  the  north  cantilever.  But  his  face 
showed  clearly  that  his  thoughts  were  not  the  same  as 
their  thoughts.  His  eyes  shone  like  polished  steel,  and 
there  was  a  glow  in  his  haggard  face  that  told  of  an 
exultance  beyond  his  power  of  repression. 

At  last  Griffith  roused  from  his  absorption.  He 
immediately  noticed  Blake's  expression,  and  dryly  de- 
manded: "Well?" 

"  Well  your  own  self !  "  re j  oined  Blake,  striving  to 
speak  in  an  indifferent  tone. 

"  Something  of  a  bridge,  eh?  " 

"  It 's  not  so  bad,"  admitted  Blake.  He  glanced  at 
McGraw,  who  had  paused  in  his  ox-like  ruminating. 

Griffith  addressed  the  general  foreman.  "  Mr.  Blake 
is  a  bit  off  his  feed.  A  friend  that  came  with  us  will 
occupy  my  room  in  Mr.  Ashton's  quarters.  I  'd  like 
a  room  in  the  bunkhouse  for  Mr.  Blake  and  myself, 
with  a  good  stove  and  a  window  that  '11  let  in  lots  of 
fresh  air." 

"  C'n  have  mine,"  grunted  McGraw.  "  Extra  bunk 
in  yardmaster's  room." 

"It'll  be  a  favor,"  said  Griffith.  "You  might  get 
it  ready,  if  you  will.  Mr.  Blake  must  have  clean  air 
when  he  goes  inside.  He  and  I  will  take  our  time 
going  back.  There  are  two  or  three  things  I  want 
another  look  at." 

McGraw  at  once  started  shoreward,  without  making 
any  verbal  response,  yet  betraying  under  his  dull  manner 
his  eagerness  to  oblige  the  Consulting  Engineer.  When 
he  had  gone  well  beyond  earshot,  Griffith  turned  upon 
Blake  with  a  quizzical  look. 


THE     BRIDGE  235 

"  So ! "  he  croaked.     "  It 's  a  certainty." 

"  Knew  that  soon  's  I  got  the  first  look,"  said  Blake. 

Griffith's  forehead  creased  with  an  anxious  frown. 
"  You  promise  not  to  mix  it  with  him." 

"  Don't  fash  yourself,"  reassured  Blake.  "  I  've 
waited  too  long  for  this,  to  go  off  at  half-cock  now." 

"  That 's  talking !  You  '11  wait  till  you  're  sure  you 
can  settle  him  —  the  skunk !  Come  on,  now.  We  '11 
start  inshore  before  you  get  chilled." 

"  How  about  yourself?  "  chuckled  Blake,  as  he  led 
back  along  the  runway.  "  Won't  take  the  frost  two 
shakes  to  reach  the  centre  of  your  circumference,  once 
it  gets  through  that  old  wolfskin  coat." 

"  Huh !  I  can  still  go  you  one  better,  young  man. 
I  '11  soon  be  thawing  out  in  Florida,  while  you  '11  be 
trotting  back  here  to  boss  the  completion  of  T.  Blake's 
cantilever  —  largest  suspension  span  cantilever  in  the 
world." 

"  God ! "  whispered  Blake,  staring  incredulously  at 
the  titanic  structure  born  of  his  brain.  "  But  it 's  mine 
—  it  is  mine !  .  .  .  I  sweat  blood  over  those 
plans !  " 

"  Doggone  you,  Tommy,  you  're  no  engineer  — 
you  're  an  inventor,  Class  A-l ! "  exulted  Griffith. 
"  First  this ;  then  the  Zariba  Dam.  After  that,  the  Lord 
only  knows  what !  Trouble  with  you,  you  're  a 
genius." 

"  And  a  whiskey  soak ! "  added  Blake,  with  a  sudden 
upwelling  of  .bitterness. 

"Hey!  what!  —  after  this?"  demanded  Griffith,  his 
voice  sharp  with  apprehension.  He  could  not  see  the 


236         OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

face  of  his  companion,  but  the  manner  in  which  Blake's 
head  bent  forward  between  his  hunching  shoulders  was 
more  than  enough  to  confirm  his  alarm. 

"  Come,  now,  Tommy !  "  he  reproached.  "  Don't  be 
a  fool  —  just  when  things  are  coming  your  way." 

"Think  so?"  muttered  Blake.  "What  d' you  sup- 
pose I  care  for  what  I  'd  get  out  of  this  or  the  dam  ? 
Good  God!  You  can't  see  it  —  yet  you  had  Mollie!" 

For  a  moment  the  older  man  was  forced  to  a  wor- 
ried silence.  It  ended  in  an  outflashing  of  hope.  "  I 
told  you  what  she  said  about  you  —  almost  her  last 
words.  You  '11  win  out  —  she  said  it !  " 

Blake  halted  and  turned  about  to  his  friend,  his  face 
convulsed  with  doubt  and  a  despondency  that  verged 
on  despair.  They  were  still  half  way  out  on  the  over- 
hang of  the  extension  arm.  He  pointed  down  to  the 
crashing,  tumbling  ice  far  beneath  his  feet. 

"  Do  you  know  what  I  'd  do  if  I  had  any  nerve?  " 
he  cried.  "  I  'd  step  over  .  .  .  end  it  1  .  .  . 
You  could  tell  her  I  slipped.  There  wouldn't  be  any 
need  to  tell  her  about  —  yesterday.  She  would  re- 
member me  as  she  knew  me  there  in  Mozambique. 
After  a  time  she  'd  make  Jimmy  happy  —  and  be  happy 
herself.  Trouble  is,  I  'm  what  she  suspected.  I  have  n't 
the  nerve,  when  it  comes  to  the  real  showdown." 

"  Damnation !  "  swore  Griffith.  "  Have  you  gone 
clean  dotty?  You're  not  the  kind  to  quit,  Tom!  — 
to  slide  out  from  under  because  you  have  n't  the  grit 
to  hang  on  !  " 

"  That 's  it.     I  'm  booked  for  the  D.  T.  route,"  mut- 


THEBRIDGE  237 

tered  Blake.  "  Was  n't  born  for  a  watery  end. 
Whiskey  for  mine !  " 

"  Rats  ?  You  're  over  the  worst  of  this  bump  al- 
ready. You  're  going  back  to-morrow  and  dig  in  to 
make  good  on  the  dam." 

"  The  dam !     What  5s  it  to  me  now?  " 

"  Fifty  thousand  dollars,  the  credit  for  your  bridge, 
and  a  place  among  the  top-notchers." 

"  Much  that  amounts  to  —  when  I  *ve  lost  her !  "  re- 
torted Blake. 

He  turned  about  again  and  plodded  heavily  shore- 
ward, his  chin  on  his  breast  and  his  big  shoulders  bowed 
forward. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

CONDEMNED 

THOUGH  he  sank  into  a  taciturn  and  morose 
mood  from  which  no  efforts  of  his  friends 
could  rouse  him,  Blake  sullenly  accepted  the 
continued  treatment  that  Griffith  thrust  upon  him.  In 
the  morning  he  muttered  a  confirmation  of  the  state- 
ment of  Lord  James  that  he  was  looking  better  and  that 
the  attack  must  be  well  over. 

Ashton,  forced  probably  by  an  irresistible  impulse 
to  learn  the  worst,  followed  Lord  James  to  the  room 
occupied  by  the  engineers.  Blake  cut  short  his  vacilla- 
ting in  the  doorway  with  a  curt  invitation  to  come  in  and 
sit  down.  Having  satisfied  what  he  considered  the  re- 
quirements of  hospitality,  Blake  paid  no  further  at- 
tention to  the  Resident  Engineer.  As  nothing  was  said 
about  the  bridge,  Ashton  soon  regained  all  his  usual 
assurance,  and  even  went  so  far  as  to  comment  upon 
Blake's  attack  of  biliousness. 

When,  beside  the  car  step,  an  hour  later,  Ashton 
held  out  his  hand,  Blake  seemingly  failed  to  perceive 
it.  Ashton's  look  of  relief  indicated  that  he  mistook 
the  other's  profound  contempt  for  stupid  carelessness. 
To  one  of  his  nature,  the  fact  that  Blake  had  not  at 
once  denounced  him  as  a  thief  seemed  proof  positive 

238 


CONDEMNED  239 

that  the  sick  man  had  failed  to  recognize  in  the  bridge 
structure  the  embodiment  of  his  stolen  plans. 

He  turned  from  Blake  to  Lord  James.  "  Ah,  my 
dear  earl,  this  has  been  such  a  pleasure  —  such  a  de- 
light! You  cannot  imagine  how  intolerable  it  is  to  be 
cut  off  from  the  world  in  this  dreary  hole  —  deprived  of 
all  society  and  compelled  to  associate,  if  at  all,  with 
these  common  brutes !  " 

"  Really,"  murmured  Lord  James.  "  For  my  part, 
y'  know,  I  rather  enjoy  the  company  of  intelligent  men 
who  have  their  part  in  the  world's  work.  Though  one 
of  the  drones  myself,  I  value  the  '  Sons  of  Martha '  at 
their  full  worth." 

"  Oh,  they  have  their  place.  The  trouble  is  to  make 
them  keep  it." 

"  Ton  my  word,  I  scarcely  thought  you  'd  say  that 
—  so  clever  an  engineer  as  yourself !  " 

Ashton  glanced  up  to  be  certain  that  both  Griffith 
and  Blake  had  passed  on  into  the  car. 

"  Your  lordship  has  n't  quite  caught  the  point,"  he 
said.  "  One  may  have  the  brains  —  the  intellect  — 
necessary  to  create  such  a  bridge  as  this,  without  hav- 
ing to  lower  himself  into  the  herd  of  common  workers." 
"  Ah,  really,"  drawled  the  Englishman,  swinging  up 
the  car  steps. 

Ashton  raised  his  hat  and  bowed.  "  AIL  revoir,  Earl. 
Your  visit  has  been  both  a  delight  and  an  honor.  I 
shall  hope  soon  to  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you  in 
town." 

"  Yes  ?  "  murmured  Lord  James  with  a  rising  inflec- 
tion. "  Good-day." 


240         OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

He  nodded  in  response  to  Ashton's  final  bow,  and 
hastened  in  to  where  Blake  and  Griffith  were  making 
themselves  comfortable  in  the  middle  of  the  car.  The 
three  were  the  only  passengers  for  the  down  trip. 

"  So  he  did  n't  get  you  to  stay  over  for  the  winter?  " 
remarked  Griffith  as  the  Englishman  began  to  shed  his 
topcoat. 

"  Gad,  no !  He  could  n't  afford  it.  Tried  to  show  me 
how  to  play  poker  last  night.  I  've  his  check  for  two 
thousand.  He  insisted  upon  teaching  me  the  fine  points 
of  the  game." 

"  Crickey !  —  when  you  've  travelled  with  T.  Blake !  " 
cackled  Griffith.  "  Hey,  Tommy  ?  Any  one  who 's 
watched  you  play  even  once  ought  to  be  able  to  clean  out 
a  dub  like  Lallapaloozer  Laf .  Say,  though,  I  did  n't 
think  even  you  could  keep  on  your  poker  face  as  you 
have  this  morning.  It 's  dollars  to  doughnuts,  he 
sized  it  up  that  you  had  failed  to  get  next." 

"  Told  you  I  was  n't  going  to  show  him  my  cards," 
muttered  Blake. 

Lord  James  looked  at  him  inquiringly,  but  he  lapsed 
into  his  morose  silence,  while  Griffith  commenced  to 
write  his  report  on  the  bridge,  without  volunteering 
an  explanation.  Lord  James  repressed  his  curiosity, 
and  instead  of  asking  questions,  quietly  prepared  for 
his  friend  one  of  the  last  of  the  grapefruit. 

An  hour  or  so  later  Blake  growled  out  a  monosyl- 
labic assurance  that  he  was  now  safely  over  his  attack. 
Yet  all  the  efforts  of  Lord  James  to  jolly  him  into 
a  cheerful  mood  utterly  failed.  Throughout  the  trip 
he  continued  to  brood,  and  did  not  rouse  out  of  his 


CONDEMNED  241 

sullen  taciturnity  until  the  train  was  backing  into  the 
depot. 

"  Here  we  are,"  remarked  Lord  James.  "  Get  ready 
to  make  your  break  for  cover,  old  man.  What  d*  you 
say,  Mr.  Griffith?  Will  it  be  all  right  for  him  to  keep 
close  to  his  work  for  a  while  —  to  lie  low  ?  " 

"What's   that?"  growled  Blake. 

"  Young  Ashton  's  a  bally  ass,"  explained  Lord  James. 
"  He  bolted  down  whole  what  I  said  about  your  at- 
tack of  bile.  Others,  however,  may  not  be  so  credulous 
or  blind.  You  'd  better  keep  close  till  you  look  a  bit 
less  knocked-up.  There  's  no  need  that  what 's  happened 
should  come  to  Miss  Leslie." 

"  Think  so,  do  you?  "  said  Blake.     "  Well,  I  don't." 

"  What 's  that?  "  put  in  Griffith. 

"  There  's  not  going  to  be  any  frame-up  over  this, 
that 's  what,"  rejoined  Blake,  reaching  for  his  hat  and 
suitcase.  "  Soon  's  I  get  a  shave  I  'm  going  out  to  tell 
her." 

"  Gad,  old  man !  "  protested  Lord  James.  "  But  you 
can't  do  that  —  it's  impossible!  You  surely  do  not 
realize  — " 

"  I  don't,  eh?  "  broke  in  Blake  bitterly.  "  I  'm  up 
against  it.  I  know  it,  and  you  know  it.  You  don't 
think  I  'm  going  to  do  the  baby  act,  do  you  ?  I  've 
failed  to  make  good.  Think  I  'm  going  to  lie  to  her 
about  it  ?  No !  —  nor  you  neither !  " 

His  friends  exchanged  a  look  of  helplessness.  They 
knew  that  tone  only  too  well.  Yet  Lord  James  sought 
to  avert  the  worst. 

"  Might  have  known  you  *d  be  an  ass  over  it,"  he 

16 


242 

commented.  "  Best  I  can  do,  I  presume,  is  to  go  along 
and  explain  to  her  my  view  of  what  started  you  off." 

"  Best  nothing.  You  '11  keep  out  of  this.  It 's  none 
of  your  funeral." 

"  There  's  more  than  one  opinion  as  to  that." 

"  I  tell  you,  this  is  between  her  and  me.  You  '11 
keep  out  of  it,"  said  Blake,  with  a  forcefulness  that 
the  other  could  not  withstand.  "  Don't  worry.  You  '11 
have  your  turn  later  on." 

"  Deuce  take  it !  "  cried  the  Englishman.  "  You  can't 
fancy  I  'm  dwelling  on  that I  Y,ou  can't  think  me  such 
a  cad  as  to  be  waiting  for  an  opportunity  derived  from 
an  injustice  to  you !  " 

"Injustice,  bah! "  gibed  Blake.  "I'll  get  what's 
coming  to  me.  It 's  of  her  I  'm  thinking,  not  you. 
She  was  right.  I  'm  going  to  tell  her  so.  That 's 
all." 

"  But,  in  view  of  what  she  herself  did  — " 

"  I  '11  tell  her  the  facts.  That 's  enough,"  said  Blake, 
and  he  led  the  way  from  the  car. 

He  hastened  out  of  the  depot  and  would  have  started 
off  afoot,  had  not  Lord  James  hailed  a  taxicab  and 
taken  him  and  Griffith  home.  He  went  in  with  them, 
and  when  Blake  had  shaved  and  dressed,  proposed  that 
they  should  go  on  together  as  far  as  the  hotel.  To 
this  Blake  gave  a  sullen  acquiescence,  and  they  whirred 
away  to  the  North  Side.  But  instead  of  stopping  at 
the  hotel,  their  cab  sped  on  out  to  the  Lake  Shore 
Drive. 

Lord  James  coolly  explained  that  he  intended  to  take 
his  friend  to  the  door  of  the  Leslies.  Blake  would  have 


CONDEMNED  243 

objected,  but  acquiesced  as  soon  as  he  understood  that 
Lord  James  intended  to  remain  in  the  cab. 

During  the  day  the  cold  had  moderated,  and  when 
Blake  swung  out  of  the  cab  he  was  wrapped  about  in 
the  chilly  embrace  of  a  dripping  wet  fog  from  off  the 
lake.  He  shivered  as  he  hurried  across  and  up  the  steps 
and  into  the  stately  portico  of  the  Leslie  house. 

At  the  touch  of  his  finger  on  the  electric  button, 
the  heavy  door  swung  open.  He  was  bowed  in  and 
divested  of  hat  and  raincoat  by  an  overzealous  footman 
before  he  could  protest.  Silent  and  frowning,  he  was 
ushered  to  a  door  that  he  had  not  before  entered.  The 
footman  announced  him  and  drew  the  curtains  together 
behind  him. 

Still  frowning,  Blake  stepped  forward  and  stopped 
short  to  stare  about  him  at  the  resplendent  room  of 
gold  and  ivory  enamel  that  he  had  entered.  Only  at 
the  second  glance  did  he  perceive  the  graceful  figure 
that  had  risen  from  the  window-seat  at  the  far  end 
of  the  room  and  stood  in  a  startled  attitude,  gazing 
fixedly  at  him. 

Before  he  could  speak,  Genevieve  came  toward  him 
with  impetuous  swiftness,  her  hands  outstretched  in  more 
than  cordial  welcome. 

"Tom!  Is  it  really  you?"  she  exclaimed.  "I  had 
not  looked  for  you  back  so  soon.'* 

"  It 's  somewhat  sooner  than  I  expected  myself,"  he 
replied,  with  a  bitter  humor  that  should  have  fore- 
warned her. 

But  she  was  too  relieved  and  delighted  to  heed  either 
his  tone  or  his  failure  to  clasp  her  hands.  "  Yes.  You 


244          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

know,  I  've  been  so  worried.  You  really  looked  ill  Sun- 
day, and  I  thought  Lord  James'  manner  that  evening 
was  rather  odd  —  I  mean  when  I  spoke  to  him  about 
you." 

"  Should  n't  wonder,"  said  Blake  in  a  harsh  voice. 
"  Jimmy  had  been  there  before.  He  knew." 

"  Knew  ?  You  mean  —  ?  "  The  girl  stepped  back 
a  little  way  and  gazed  up  into  his  face,  startled  and 
anxious.  "  Tom,  you  have  been  sick  —  very  sick ! 
How  could  I  have  been  so  blind  as  not  to  have  seen  it 
at  once  ?  You  've  been  suffering  terribly !  " 

Again  she  held  out  her  hands  to  him,  and  again  he 
failed  to  take  them. 

"  Don't  touch  me,"  he  replied.  "  I  'm  not  fit.  It 's 
true  I  've  suffered.  Do  you  wonder?  I  've  been  in  hell 
again  —  where  I  belong." 

"  Tom !  oh,  Tom !  —  no,  no ! "  she  whispered,  and  she 
averted  her  face,  unable  to  endure  the  black  despair  that 
she  saw  in  his  unflinching  eyes. 

"  Jimmy  and  old  Grif,  between  them,  managed  to 
catch  me  when  I  was  under  full  headway,"  he  ex- 
plained. "  They  stopped  me  and  took  me  up  to  the 
Michamac  Bridge.  I  'm  on  my  feet  again  now.  Just 
the  same,  I  went  under,  and  if  it  had  n't  been  for  them, 
I  'd  be  beastly,  roaring  drunk  this  minute." 

"  No,  Tom !  It 's  impossible  —  impossible !  I  can't 
believe  it ! " 

"Think  I'd  lie  about  a  little  thing  like  that?"  he 
asked  with  the  terrible  levity  of  utter  despair. 

"  But  it 's  —  it 's  so  awful ! " 

"I've   known   funnier  jokes.     God!     D' you   think 


CONDEMNED  245 

I  've  done  much  laughing  over  being  smashed  for  good? 
It 's  rid  you  of  a  drunken  degenerate.  It 's  you  who 
ought  to  laugh.  How  about  me?  I've  lost  you! 
God!" 

He  bent  over,  with  his  chin  on  his  breast  and  his 
big  fists  clenched  down  at  his  sides. 

She  stared  at  him,  dazed,  almost  stunned  by  the 
shock.  Only  after  what  seemed  an  age  of  waiting 
could  she  find  words  for  the  stress  of  bitter  disappoint- 
ment and  mortified  love  that  drove  the  blood  to  her  heart 
and  left  her  white  and  dizzy. 

"  Then  —  you  have  —  failed.  You  are  —  weak !  " 
she  at  last  managed  to  say. 

Simple  as  were  the  words,  the  tone  in  which  they  were 
spoken  was  enough  for  Blake. 

"  Yes,"  he  answered,  and  he  swung  about  toward  the 
door. 

"  Have  you  no  excuses  —  no  defence  ?  "  she  demanded. 

"  I  might  lay  it  to  that  wine  at  the  church  —  and 
prove  myself  still  weaker,"  said  Blake. 

"  The  holy  communion !  "  she  reproached. 

"  I  never  made  fun  even  of  a  Chinaman's  religion," 
he  said.  "  Just  the  same,  if  I  don't  believe  a  thing, 
I  don't  lie  and  let  on  I  do.  I  told  you  that  wine  meant 
nothing  to  me  in  a  religious  way.  But  even  if  it  had, 
I  don't  think  it  would  have  made  any  difference.  Drop 
nitric  acid  on  the  altar  rail,  and  it  will  eat  the  brass 
just  the  same  as  if  it  was  in  a  brass  foundry.  Put 
alcohol  inside  me,  and  the  craving  starts  up  full  blast." 

"  Then  you  believe  I  should  excuse  — " 

"  No,"  he  interrupted  with  grim  firmness.     "  I  might 


246*          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

have  thought  it  then  —  but  not  now.  I  've  had  two 
days  to  think  it  over.  It  all  comes  down  to  this:  If, 
knowing  how  you  felt  about  it,  I  could  not  kneel  there 
beside  you  and  take  that  taste  of  wine  without  going 
under,  I'm  just  what  you  suspected  —  weak,  unfit." 

She  clasped  her  hands  on  her  bosom.  "  You  —  admit 
it?" 

"  What 's  the  use  of  lying  about  it?  "  he  said.  "  If 
it  had  n't  come  about  that  way,  you  can  see  now  it 
was  bound  to  happen  some  other  way." 

"  I  —  suppose  —  yes.  Oh !  but  it 's  horrible !  — 
horrible !  I  thought  you  so  strong ! " 

"  I  won't  bother  you  any  more,"  he  muttered. 
"  Good-bye." 

He  went  out  without  venturing  a  glance  at  her  white 
face.  She  waited,  motionless,  looking  toward  the  spot 
where  he  had  stood.  Several  moments  passed  before  she 
seemed  to  realize  that  he  had  gone. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

A    EEPRIEVE 

LORD  JAMES  did  not  call  upon  Genevieve  un- 
til late  afternoon  of  the  next  day,  and  then  he 
did  not  come  alone.     He  had  called  first  upon 
Mrs.  Gantry  and  Dolores,  who  brought  him  on  in  their 
coupe. 

Genevieve  came  down  to  them  noticeably  pale  and  with 
dark  shadows  under  her  fine  eyes,  but  her  manner  was, 
if  anything,  rather  more  composed  than  usual.  She 
even  had  a  smile  to  exchange  for  the  gay  greeting  of 
Dolores.  Mrs.  Gantry  met  her  with  a  kiss  a  full  de- 
gree more  fervent  than  was  consistent  with  strict  de- 
corum. 

"My  dear  child!"  she  exclaimed.  "I  have  has- 
tened over  to  see  you.  Lord  Avondale  has  told  me  all 
about  that  fellow." 

"  Yes  ?  "  asked  Genevieve,  looking  at  Lord  James 
calmly  but  with  a  slight  lift  of  her  eyebrows  that  be- 
trayed her  astonishment. 

"Hasn't  your  father  told  you?"  replied  Mrs.  Gan- 
try, reposing  herself  in  the  most  comfortable  seat.  "  It 
seems  that  he  has  arranged — " 

"  Beg  pardon,"  said  Lord  James.  "  It  was  the 
Coville  Construction  Company  that  made  the  offer." 

247 


248          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  Very  true.  An  arrangement  has  been  made,  my 
dear,  that  will  take  that  person  to  the  bridge  and  keep 
him  there." 

"  Provided  he  accepts  the  offer,"  added  Lord  James. 

"  How  can  it  be  otherwise?  The  salary  is  simply 
stupendous  for  a  man  of  his  class  and  standing." 

"  Laffie  gets  only  twelve  thousand  a  year,  yet  he  de- 
signed the  bridge,"  remarked  Dolores.  "  He  told  me 
it  was  n't  even  enough  for  pin-money." 

"  I  fancy  he  must  contrive  to  make  it  go  farther  since 
his  last  trip  to  town,"  said  Mrs.  Gantry.  "  The  little 
visit  proved  rather  expensive.  His  father  made  another 
reduction  in  his  allowance." 

"  Goodness ! "  exclaimed  Dolores.  "  Poor  dear  Laffie 
boy!  If  I  conclude  to  marry  him,  I  shall  insist  that 
Papa  Ashton  is  to  give  me  a  separate  allowance." 

"  My  word,  Miss  Dolores !  "  expostulated  Lord  James. 
"  You  're  not  encouraging  that  fellow  ?  " 

"  Oh,  it 's  as  well  to  have  more  than  one  hook  on  the 
line.  Ask  mamma  if  it  is  n't.  Besides,  Laffie  would  be 
a  gilt-edged  investment  —  provided  his  papa  made  the 
right  kind  of  a  will.  Anyway,  I  could  get  Uncle  Her- 
bert's lawyers  to  fix  up  an  agreement  as  to  that  —  a 
kind  of  pre-nuptial  alimony  contract  between  me  and 
Laffie's  papa's  millions." 

Mrs.  Gantry  held  up  her  hands.  "  Could  you  have 
believed  it,  Genevieve !  She  was  frivolous  enough  before 
I  went  over  for  you.  But  now !  " 

Dolores  coolly  disregarded  her  mother,  to  turn  a 
meaning  look  on  Lord  James.  "  If  I  have  frivolled 
enough,  it 's  about  time  you  said  something." 


AREPRIEVE  249 

The  young  Englishman  put  an  uneasy  hand  to  his 
mustache.  "  Er  —  I  should  have  preferred  a  —  a 
rather  more  favorable  time,  Miss  Dolores." 

"  Yes,  and  have  mamma  slam  him  before  you  put  in 
the  buffer,"  rejoined  the  girl.  "  See  here,  Vievie.  It 's 
too  bad,  but  you  must  have  tattled  something  to  Uncle 
Herbert,  and  he — " 

"  Tattled  1 "  repeated  Genevieve.  "  I  have  always 
been  candid  with  papa,  if  that  is  what  you  mean,  Do- 
lores." 

"  All  right,  then,  Miss  Candid.  Though  we  called  it 
tattling  ten  years  ago.  Anyway,  Uncle  Herbert  wrote 
about  it  to  mamma.  He  sent  the  letter  out  this 
noon.  Next  thing,  it  Jll  be  all  over  Chicago  —  and 
England.'* 

"  Dolores !     I  must  insist ! "  admonished  Mrs.  Gantry. 

"  So  must  I,  mamma !  If  it 's  wrong  to  destroy  the 
property  of  others,  it 's  no  less  wrong  to  destroy  their 
reputations." 

Her  mother  expanded  with  self-righteous  indigna- 
tion. "  Well,  I  never !  —  indeed !  When  the  fellow  has 
neither  character  nor  reputation !  " 

"  Dear  auntie,"  soothed  Genevieve,  "  I  know  you  too 
well  to  believe  you  could  intentionally  harm  any  one." 

"  I  would  do  anything  to  save  you  from  ruining  your 
lif e !  "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Gantry,  moved  almost  to  tears. 

"  I  shall  not  ruin  my  life,"  replied  Genevieve,  with  a 
quiet  firmnes's  that  brought  a  profound  sigh  of  relief 
from  her  aunt. 

"  A-a-hJ  —  My  dear  child !  Then  you  at  last  real- 
ize what  sort  of  a  man  he  is." 


250          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  Vievie  knows  he  is  a  man  —  which  is  more  than 
can  be  said  of  some  of  them,"  thrust  Dolores,  with  a 
mocking  glance  at  Lord  James. 

"  My  dear,"  urged  Mrs.  Gantry,  "  give  no  heed  to 
that  silly  chit.  I  wish  to  commend  your  stand  against 
the  fatal  attraction  of  mere  brute  efficiency." 

"Oh,  I  say!"  put  in  Lord  James.  "It's  this  I 
must  protest  against,  Miss  Leslie  —  this  talk  of  his 
brute  qualities  —  when  it 's  only  the  lack  of  polish. 
You  should  know  that.  He  's  a  thistle,  prickly  without, 
but  within  soft  as  silk." 

"Do  I  not  know?"  exclaimed  Genevieve,  for  the 
moment  unable  to  maintain  her  perfect  composure. 

"  The  metaphor  was  very  touching  and  most  loyal, 
my  dear  earl,"  said  Mrs.  Gantry.  "  Yet  you  must 
pardon  me  if  I  suggest  that  your  opinion  of  him  may 
be  somewhat  biased  by  friendship." 

"  But  of  course  mamma's  opinion  is  n't  biased,"  re- 
marked Dolores.  She  shot  an  angry  glance  at  her 
mother,  and  added  — "  by  friendship." 

"  It  would  relieve  me  very  much  if  no  more  were  said 
about  Mr.  Blake,"  said  Genevieve. 

"  We  can't  —  now,"  snapped  Dolores,  frowning  at 
the  footman  who  had  appeared  in  the  doorway.  "  Some 
one  must  have  sighted  the  right  honorable  earl  in  our 
coupe." 

Her  irony  was  justified  by  the  actions  of  the  three 
young  matrons  who  fluttered  in  on  the  breeze  of  the 
footman's  announcement.  They  immediately  fell  into 
raptures  over  his  lordship,  who  was  forced  in  self- 
defence  to  tug  and  twist  at  his  mustache  and  toy 


A     REPRIEVE  251 

with  his  monocle.  At  this  last  Dolores  flung  herself  out 
of  the  room  in  ill-concealed  disdain. 

She  was  not  to  be  found  when,  all  too  soon,  her 
mother  tore  the  "  charming  Earl  Avondale  "  away  from 
his  chattering  adorers.  After  the  worshipful  one  had 
been  borne  off,  the  dejected  trio  did  not  linger  long. 
Their  departure  was  followed  by  the  prompt  reappear- 
ance of  Dolores. 

She  came  at  her  cousin  with  eyes  flashing.  "  Now 
you  're  all  alone,  Vievie !  I  've  been  waiting  for  this. 
Do  you  know  what  I  'm  going  to  do  ?  I  'm  going  to 
give  you  a  piece  of  my  mind." 

"  Please,  dear !  "  begged  Genevieve. 

"  No.  I  '11  not  please !  You  deserve  a  good  beat- 
ing, and  I  'm  going  to  give  it  to  you.  That  poor  Mr. 
Blake!  Aren't  you  'shamed  of  yourself?  Breaking 
his  big  noble  heart !  " 

"  Dolores !     I  must  ask  you  — " 

"  No,  you  must  n't !  You  've  got  to  listen  to  me, 
you  know  you  have.  To  think  that  you,  who  've  always 
pretended  to  be  so  kind  and  considerate,  should  be  a 
regular  cat ! " 

"  You  foolish  dear !  "  murmured  Genevieve.  "  Do 
you  imagine  that  anything  that  you  can  say  can  hurt 
me,  after  —  after — "  She  turned  away  to  hide  her 
starting  tears. 

"That's  it!"  jeered  her  cousin.  "Be  a  snivelly 
little  hypocrite.  Pretend  to  be  so  sorry  —  when  you  're 
not  sorry  at  all.  Pah!  " 

Genevieve  recovered  her  dignity  with  her  composure. 
"  That  is  quite  enough,  my  dear.  I  can  overlook  what 


252          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

you  have  already  said.  You  know  absolutely  nothing 
about  love  and  the  bitter  grief  it  brings." 

"  You  don't  say  1 "  retorted  Dolores,  her  nostrils  quiv- 
ering. "  Much  you  know  about  me.  But  you !  — 
the  idea  of  pretending  you  love  him  —  that  you  ever 
so  much  as  dreamed  of  loving  him !  " 

Genevieve  shrank  back  as  if  she  had  been  struck. 
"  Oh !  for  any  one  to  say  that  to  me ! " 

"  It 's  true  —  it  must  be  true !  "  insisted  Dolores, 
half  frightened  yet  still  too  surcharged  with  anger  to 
contain  herself.  "  If  it  is  n't  true,  how  could  you  break 
his  heart  ?  —  the  man  who  saved  you  from  that  terrible 
savage  wilderness  1 " 

"I  —  I  cannot  explain  to  you.  It 's  something 
that—" 

"  I  know !  You  need  n't  tell  me.  It 's  mamma. 
She  's  been  knocking  him.  I  '11  bet  she  started  knock- 
ing him  when  she  first  cabled  to  you  —  at  least  she 
would  have,  had  she  known  anything  about  him. 
Think  I  don't  know  mamma  and  her  methods?  If  only 
he  'd  been  his  lordship  —  Owh,  deah !  what  a  differ- 
ence, don't  y'  know !  She  'd  never  have  let  you  get 
out  of  England  unmarried ! " 

"  Dolores !  this  is  quite  enough ! " 

"  The  Countess  of  Avondale,  future  Duchess  of 
Ruthby!  Think  I  don't  see  through  mamma's  little 
game  ?  And  you  'd  shillyshally  around,  and  throw  over 
the  true,  noble  hero  to  whom  you  owe  everything  — 
whom  you  've  pretended  you  loved  —  to  run  after  a 
title,  an  Englishman,  when  you  could  have  that  big- 
hearted  American ! " 


AREPRIEVE  253 

Genevieve's  lips  straightened.  "  What  a  patriot !  " 
she  rejoined  with  quiet  irony.  "  You,  of  course,  would 
never  dream  of  marrying  an  Englishman." 

"  That 's  none  of  your  business,"  snapped  Dolores, 
not  a  little  taken  aback  by  the  counter  attack. 

"  You  spoke  about  pretence  and  hypocrisy,"  went  on 
Genevieve.  "  How  about  the  way  you  tease  and  make 
sport  of  Lord  Avondale  ?  " 

For  a  moment  the  younger  girl  stood  quivering, 
transfixed  by  the  dart.  Suddenly  she  put  her  hands 
before  her  eyes  and  rushed  from  the  room  in  a  storm 
of  tears. 

Genevieve  started  up  as  if  to  hasten  after  her,  but 
checked  herself  and  sank  back  into  her  chair.  For  a 
long  time  she  sat  motionless,  in  the  blank  dreary  silence 
of  profound  grief,  her  eyes  fixed  upon  vacancy,  dry 
and  lustreless. 

When,  a  few  minutes  before  their  dinner  hour,  her 
father  hurried  into  the  room,  expectant  of  his  usual 
affectionate  welcome,  she  did  not  spring  up  to  greet 
him.  The  sound  of  his  brisk  step  failed  to  penetrate 
to  her  consciousness.  He  came  over  to  her  and  put  a 
fond  hand  on  her  shoulder. 

"H'm  — how's  this,  my  dear?"  he  asked.  "Not 
asleep  ?  Brown  study,  eh  ?  " 

She  looked  up  at  him  dully ;  but  at  sight  of  the  lov- 
ing concern  in-  his  eyes,  the  unendurable  hardness  of 
her  grief  suddenly  melted  to  tears.  She  flung  herself 
into  his  arms,  to  weep  and  sob  with  a  violence  of  which 
he  had  never  imagined  his  quiet  high-bred  daughter 
capable.  Bewildered  and  alarmed  by  the  storm  of  emo- 


254          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

tion,  he  knew  not  what  to  do,  and  so  instinctively  did 
what  was  right.  He  patted  her  on  the  back  and  mur- 
mured inarticulate  sounds  of  love  and  pity. 

His  sympathy  and  the  blessed  relief  of  tears  soon 
restored  her  quiet  self-control.  She  ceased  sobbing  and 
drew  away  from  him,  mortified  at  her  outburst. 

"  There  now,"  he  ventured.  "  You  feel  better,  don't 
you?" 

"  I  've  been  very  silly ! "  she  exclaimed,  drying  her 
tear-wet  cheeks. 

"  You  're  never  silly  —  that  is,  since  you  came  home 
this  time,"  he  qualified. 

"  Because  —  because  — "  She  stopped  with  an  odd 
catch  in  her  voice,  and  seemed  again  about  to  burst  into 
tears. 

"  Because  lie  taught  you  to  be  sensible, —  you  'd 
say." 

"  Ye  —  yes,"  she  sobbed.  "  Oh,  papa,  I  can't  bear 
it  —  I  can't !  To  think  that  after  he  'd  shown  himself 
so  brave  and  strong  — !  But  for  that,  I  should  never 
have  —  have  come  to  this  !  " 

"  H'm, —  from  the  way  you  talked  last  night,  I  took 
it  that  the  matter  was  settled.  You  said  then  that  you 
could  no  longer  —  h'm  —  love  him." 

"I  can't!  —  I  mustn't!  Don't  you  see?  He's 
proved  himself  weak.  How,  then,  can  I  keep  on  loving 
him?  But  they  —  they  infer  that  it  is  my  fault.  I 
believe  they  think  I  tempted  him." 

"How's  that?" 

"  Because  I  urged  him  to  take  the  communion  with 
me.  I  told  you  what  he  himself  said  about  alcohol. 


A     REPRIEVE  255 

But  he  did  not  blame  me.  He  pointed  out  that  if  he 
was  too  weak  to  resist  then,  he  would  have  yielded  to 
the  next  temptation." 

"  H'm, —  no  doubt.  Yet  I  've  been  considering  that 
point  —  the  fact  that  you  did  force  him  against  his 
will." 

"  Surely,  papa,  you  cannot  say  it  was  my  fault,  when 
he  himself  admits  that  his  own  weakness  — " 

"  Wait,"  broke  in  her  father.  "  What  do  you  know 
about  the  curse  of  drink  ?  It 's  possible  that  he  might 
be  able  to  resist  the  craving  if  not  roused  by  the  taste." 

"  Yet  if  he  is  so  weak  that  a  few  drops  of  the  holy 
communion  wine  could  cause  him  to  give  way  so  shame- 
lessly — " 

"  Holy  ?  —  h'm !  "  commented  Mr.  Leslie.  "  Alcohol 
is  a  poison.  Suppose  the  Church  used  a  decoction  con- 
taining arsenic.  Would  that  make  arsenic  holy  ?  " 

"  Oh,  papa !     But  it 's  so  very  different !  " 

"  Yes.  Alcohol  and  arsenic  are  different  poisons. 
But  they  're  similar  in  at  least  one  respect.  The  ef- 
fects of  each  are  cumulative.  To  one  who  has  been 
over-drugged  with  arsenic  a  slight  amount  more  may 
prove  a  fatal  dose.  So  of  a  person  whose  will  has  been 
undermined  and  almost  paralyzed  with  alcohol  — " 

"That's  it,  papa.  Don't  you  see?  If  he  lacks  the 
will,  the  strength,  the  self-control  to  resist !  " 

"No,  that  is -n't  the  point.  It's  your  part  in  this 
most  unfortunate  occurrence  that  I  'm  now  consider- 
ing." 

"My  part?" 

"  You  told  him  that  he  must  not  look  to  you  for  help 


OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

or  even  sympathy.  I  can  understand  your  position  as  to 
that.  At  the  same  time,  should  you  not  have  been  as 
neutral  on  the  other  side?  Was  it  quite  fair  for  you 
to  add  to  his  temptations  ?  " 

"  Yet  the  fact  of  his  weakness  — " 

"  I  'm  not  talking  about  him,  my  dear.  It 's  what 
you  *ve  done  —  the  question  whether  you  do  not  owe 
him  reparation  for  your  part  in  his  —  misfortune." 

"  My  part?  " 

"  Had  you  not  forced  him  into  what  I  cannot  but 
consider  an  unfair  test  of  his  strength,  he  would  not 
have  fallen.  Griffith  tells  me  that  he  was  well  along 
toward  a  solution  of  the  Zariba  Dam.  Had  you  not 
caused  this  unfortunate  interruption  in  his  work,  he 
might  soon  have  proved  himself  a  master  engineer. 
That  would  have  strengthened  him  in  his  fight  against 
this  hereditary  curse." 

"  He  was  to  fight  it  on  his  own  strength." 

"  What  else  would  this  engineering  triumph  have  been 
but  a  proof  to  himself  of  his  strength?  You  have  de- 
prived him  of  that.  Griffith  tells  me  that,  hard  as  he 
is  striving  to  work  out  the  idea  which  he  was  certain 
would  meet  the  difficulties  of  the  dam,  he  now  seems 
unable  to  make  any  progress." 

"  So  Mr.  Griffith  and  you  blame  all  upon  me?  " 

"  You  mistake  me,  my  dear.  What  I  wish  to  make 
clear  to  you  is  that,  however  hopeless  Blake's  condition 
may  be,  you  are  responsible  for  his  failure  upon  this 
occasion." 

"And  if  so?" 

"  Premising    that    in    one    respect    my    attitude    to- 


A     REPRIEVE  257 

ward  him  is  unalterable,  I  wish  to  say  that  he  has  risen 
very  much  in  my  esteem.  I  have  had  confidential  talks 
with  Griffith  and  Lord  Avondale  regarding  him.  I 
have  been  forced  to  the  conclusion  that  you  were  jus- 
tified in  considering  him,  aside  from  this  one  great 
fault,  a  man  essentially  sound  and  reliable.  He  has 
brains,  integrity,  courage,  and  endurance.  Given 
sufficient  inducement,  those  qualities  would  soon  enable 
him  to  acquire  all  that  he  lacks, —  manners  and  cul- 
ture." 

"  Oh,  papa,  do  not  speak  of  it !  It  was  because  I 
saw  all  that  in  him  that  I  felt  so  certain.  If  only  it 
were  not  for  the  one  thing ! " 

"  H'm,"  considered  Mr.  Leslie,  scrutinizing  her  tense 
face.  "  Then  I  gather  it 's  not  true  what  yesterday  you 
said  and  no  doubt  believed.  You  still  regard  him  with 
the  same  feelings  as  before  this  occurrence." 

"  No !  no !  He  has  destroyed  all  my  faith  in  him. 
I  —  I  can  pity  him.  But  anything  more  than  that  is 
—  it  must  be  —  dead." 

"  Can't  say  I  regret  it.  But  —  this  is  another  ques- 
tion. You  Jve  lost  him  one  chance.  I  believe  you 
should  give  him  another." 

"Another  chance?  —  you  say  that?"  she  asked  in- 
credulously. , 

"  You  should  cancel  this  record  —  this  occurrence. 
Blot  it  out.  Start  anew." 

"  How  can  I  ?  It  is  impossible  to  forget  that  he  has 
failed  so  utterly." 

"  Thanks  to  the  poison  you  put  into  his  mouth." 

"  Father !     I  did  not  think  that  you  — " 
17 


258          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  I  was  unjust  to  him.  You  also  have  done  him  a 
wrong.  I  am  seeking  to  make  reparation.  In  part 
payment,  I  wish  to  make  clear  to  you  what  you  should 
do  to  offset  your  fault.  In  view  of  the  development 
of  your  character  (which,  by  the  way,  you  claim  was 
brought  about  by  your  African  experience),  I  feel  that 
I  should  have  no  need  to  urge  this  matter.  You  are 
not  a  thoughtless  child.  Think  it  over.  Here 's 
Hodges." 

She  went  in  with  him  to  dinner,  perfectly  composed 
in  the  presence  of  the  grave-faced  old  butler.  But  after 
the  meal,  when  her  father  left  for  his  customary  cigar 
in  the  conservatory,  she  sought  the  seclusion  of  the 
library,  and  attempted  to  fight  down  the  growing  doubt 
of  her  justice  toward  Blake  that  had  been  roused  by  her 
father's  suggestions. 

It  was  easy  for  her  to  maintain  the  resolute  stand  she 
had  taken  so  long  as  she  kept  her  thoughts  fixed  on  his 
fall  from  manhood.  But  presently  she  began  to  recall 
incidents  that  had  occurred  during  those  terrible  weeks 
on  the  savage  coast  of  Mozambique. 

She  remembered,  most  vividly  of  all,  a  day  on  the 
southern  headland  —  the  eventful  day  before  the  ar- 
rival of  the  steamer  —  when  he  had  spoken  freely  of 
the  faults  of  his  past  life.  .  .  .  He  had  never  lied 
to  her  or  sought  to  gloze  over  his  weakness. 

And  he  could  have  concealed  this  present  failure.  She 
divined  that  both  Griffith  and  Lord  James  would  never 
have  betrayed  him.  Yet  he  had  come  direct  to  her  and 
confessed,  knowing  that  she  would  condemn  him. 


A     REPRIEVE  259 

The  thought  was  more  than  she  could  withstand.  She 
crossed  over  to  her  desk,  and  wrote  swiftly :  — 

DEAR  FRIEND: 

You  are  to  consider  that  all  which  has  taken  place  since 
Sunday  is  as  if  it  had  never  happened. 

Come  to  me  to-morrow,  at  ten. 

JENNY. 

Enclosing  the  note  in  an  envelope  addressed  to  Blake, 
she  gave  it  to  a  servant  for  immediate  delivery.  As 
soon  as  the  man  left  the  room,  she  went  to  the  telephone 
and  arranged  for  a  private  consultation  with  one  of  the 
most  eminent  physicians  in  the  city. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

THE    WAY    OF    A    WOMAN 

BLAKE  was  humped  over  his  desk,  his  fingers 
deep  in  his  hair,  and  his  forehead  furrowed 
with  the  knotted  wrinkles  of  utter  weariness 
and  perplexity,  as  his  eyes  pored  over  the  complex 
diagrams  and  figures  jotted  down  on  the  plan  before 
him. 

Griffith  came  shuffling  into  the  room  in  his  old  carpet 
slippers.  He  looked  anxiously  at  the  bent  form  across 
the  desk  from  him,  and  said:  "  See  here,  Tommy, 
what 's  the  use  of  wasting  electricity  ?  " 

Blake  stared  up  at  him,  blear-eyed  with  overstudy 
and  loss  of  sleep. 

"  Told  you  'm  going  to  keep  going  long  as  the  wheels 
go  'round,"  he  mumbled. 

"  They  'd  keep  going  a  heap  longer  if  you  laid  off 
Sundays,"  advised  Griffith.  "  I  'm  no  fanatic ;  but  no 
man  can  keep  at  it  day  and  night,  this  way,  without 
breaking." 

"  Sooner  the  better !  "  growled  Blake.  "  You  go  tuck 
yourself  into  your  cradle." 

Griffith  shook  his  head  dubiously  and  was  shuffling  out 
when  he  heard  a  knock  at  the  hall  door  of  the  living- 
room.  He  hastened  to  respond,  and  soon  returned  with 

260 


THE     WAY     OF     A    WOMAN  261 

a  dainty  envelope.  Blake  was  again  poring  over  his 
plans  and  figures.  The  older  man  tossed  the  missive 
upon  the  desk. 

"  Hey,  wake  up,"  he  cackled.  "  Letter  from  one  of 
your  High  Society  lady  friends.  Flunkey  in  livery  for 
messenger." 

"Livery?"  echoed  Blake.  "Brown  and  yellow,  eh? 
—  as  if  his  clothes  had  malaria." 

"  No.     Dark  green  and  black." 

Blake  started  to  his  feet,  his  face  contorted  with  the 
conflict  of  his  emotions.  "Don't  joke!  —  for  God's 
sake !  That 's  hers !  " 

Griffith  ripped  the  note  from  its  envelope  and  held 
it  out.  Blake  clutched  it  from  him,  and  opened  up  the 
sheet  with  trembling  fingers,  to  find  the  signature.  For 
a  moment  he  stood  staring  at  it  as  if  unable  to  believe 
his  own  eyes.  Then  he  turned  to  the  heading  of  the 
note  and  began  to  read. 

"  Well  ?  "  queried  Griffith,  as  the  other  reached  the 
end  and  again  stood  staring  at  the  signature. 

Instead  of  replying,  Blake  dropped  into  his  chair  and 
buried  his  face  in  his  arms.  Griffith  hovered  over  him, 
gazing  worriedly  at  the  big  heaving  shoulders. 

"  Must  say  you  're  mighty  talkative,"  he  at  last  re- 
marked, and  he  started  toward  the  door.  "  Good- 
night." 

"  Wait !  "  panted  Blake.     "  Read  it !  " 

Griffith  took  the  note,  which  was  thrust  out  to  him, 
and  read  it  through  twice. 

"  Huh,"  he  commented.  "  She  was  n't  so  awfully 
sudden  over  it.  'Bout  time,  I  'd  say." 


262 

"  Shut  up !  "  cried  Blake,  flinging  himself  erect  in  the 
chair,  to  beam  upon  his  friend.  "  You  've  no  license 
to  kick,  you  old  grouch.  I  'm  coming  to  bed.  But 
wait  till  to-morrow  afternoon.  Maybe  the  fur  won't 
fly  on  old  Zariba !  " 

"  Come  on,  then.     I  '11  get  your  sulphonal." 

"  You  will  —  not !  No  more  dope  in  mine,  Grif . 
I  've  got  something  a  thousand  per  cent  better." 

"  She  ought  to  've  come  through  with  it  at  the  start- 
off,"  grumbled  Griffith.  But  he  gladly  accompanied  his 
friend  to  the  bedroom. 

In  the  morning  Blake  awoke  from  a  profound  natural 
sleep,  clear-eyed  and  clear-brained.  His  first  act  was 
to  telephone  to  a  florist's  to  send  their  largest  crimson 
amaryllis  to  Miss  Genevieve  Leslie. 

Though  he  forced  himself  to  walk,  he  reached  the 
Leslie  mansion  a  full  half-hour  before  ten.  To  kill 
time,  he  swung  on  out  the  Drive  into  Lincoln  Park. 
He  went  a  good  mile,  yet  was  back  again  five  minutes 
before  the  hour.  Unable  to  wait  a  moment  longer,  he 
hastened  up  into  the  stately  portico  and  rang. 

As  on  the  previous  day,  he  was  at  once  bowed  in  and 
ushered  to  the  beautiful  room  of  gold  and  ivory  enamel. 
He  entered  eagerly,  and  was  not  a  little  dashed  to  find 
himself  alone.  His  spirits  rebounded  at  the  remem- 
brance that  he  was  early.  He  stopped  in  the  centre  of 
the  room  and  stood  waiting,  tense  with  expectancy. 

Very  soon  Genevieve  came  in  at  one  of  the  side  door- 
ways. He  started  toward  her  the  instant  he  heard  her 
light  step.  But  her  look  and  bearing  checked  his  eager 


THE     WAY     OF     A    WOMAN  263 

advance.  She  was  very  pale,  and  her  eyelids  were 
swollen  from  hours  of  weeping. 

"  Jenny ! "  he  stammered.  "  What  is  it?  Your 
note  —  I  thought  that  —  that  — " 

"  You  poor  boy !  you  poor  boy !  "  she  murmured,  her 
eyes  brimming  over  with  tears  of  compassion. 

"  What  is  it?  "  he  muttered,  and  he  drew  nearer  to 
her. 

She  put  out  her  hands  and  grasped  his  coat,  and 
looked  up  at  him,  her  forehead  creased  with  deep  lines 
of  grief,  and  the  corners  of  her  sweet  mouth  drooping 
piteously. 

"  Oh,  Tom !  Tom ! "  she  sobbed,  "  I  know  the  worst 
now!  I  know  how  greatly  I  wronged  you  by  forcing 
you  into  temptation.  I  have  been  to  one  who  knows  — 
one  of  the  great  physicians." 

"  About  me  ?  "  asked  Blake,  greatly  surprised. 

"  I  used  no  names.  He  does  not  know  who  I  am. 
But  I  told  him  the  facts,  as  you  have  told  them  to  me, 
dear.  He  said —  Oh,  I  cannot  —  I  cannot  repeat 
it ! " 

She  bent  forward  and  pressed  her  face  against  his 
breast,  sobbing  with  an  uncontrollable  outburst  of  grief. 
He  raised  his  arms  to  draw  her  to  him,  but  dropped 
them  heavily. 

"  Well?  "  he  asked  in  a  harsh  voice.     "  What  of  it?  " 

She  drew  herself  away  from  him,  still  quivering,  but 
striving  hard  to  control  her  emotion. 

"I  —  I  must  tell  you !  "  she  forced  herself  to  answer. 
"  I  have  no  right  to  keep  it  from  you.  He  said  that 


264          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

it  is  a  —  a  disease ;  that  it  is  a  matter  of  pathology, 
not  of  moral  courage." 

"Disease?"  repeated  Blake.  "Well,  what  if  it  is? 
I  don't  see  what  difference  that  makes.  If  I  fight  it 
down  —  all  well  and  good.  If  I  lose  out,  I  lose  out  — 
that 's  all." 

"  But  don't  you  see  the  difference  it  makes  to  me  ?  " 
she  insisted.  "  I  blamed  you  —  when  it  was  n't  your 
fault  at  all.  But  I  did  not  realize,  dear.  I  've  been 
under  a  frightful  strain  ever  since  we  reached  home. 
Just  because  I  do  not  weep  and  cry  out,  every  one  imag- 
ines I 'm  cold  and  unfeeling.  I've  been  reproached 
for  treating  you  cruelly.  But  you  see  now — " 

"  Of  course !  "  he  declared.  "  Don't  you  suppose  I 
know  ?  It 's  your  grit.  Need  n't  tell  me  how  you  've 
felt.  You  're  the  truest,  kindest  little  woman  that  ever 


was 


t  » 


"  Oh,  Tom !  that 's  so  like  you !  —  and  after  I  have 
treated  you  so  cruelly ! " 

"You?  What  on  earth  put  that  into  your  head? 
Maybe  you  mean,  because  you  did  n't  give  me  the  sec- 
ond chance  at  once  when  I  owned  up  to  failing.  But 
it  was  no  more  than  right  for  you  to  send  me  off. 
Did  n't  I  deserve  it  ?  I  had  given  you  cause  enough 
to  despise  me  —  to  send  me  off  for  good." 

"  No,  no,  not  despise  you,  Tom !  You  know  that 
never  could  be,  when  there  in  that  terrible  wilderness 
you  proved  yourself  so  true  and  kind  —  such  a  man ! 
And  not  that  alone !  I  know  all  now  —  how  you,  to 
save  me  — "  She  paused  and  looked  away,  her  face 
scarlet.  Yet  she  went  on  bravely :  "  how,  in  order  that 


THE     WAY     OF     A    WOMAN  265 

I  might  be  compelled  to  make  certain,  you  endured  the 
frightful  heat  and  smother  of  that  foul  forecastle,  all 
those  days  to  Aden !  " 

"  That  was  n't  anything,"  disclaimed  Blake.  "  I 
slept  on  deck  every  night.  Just  a  picnic.  I  knew  you 
were  safe  —  no  more  danger  of  that  damnable  fever  — 
and  with  Jimmy  to  entertain  you." 

"  While  you  had  to  hide  from  me  all  day !  James 
said  that  it  was  frightful  in  the  forecastle." 

"  Much  he  knows  about  such  places  !  It  was  n't  any- 
thing to  a  glass-factory  or  steelworks.  If  it  had  been 
the  stokehole,  instead —  I  did  try  stoking,  one  day, 
just  to  pass  the  time.  Stood  it  two  hours.  Those 
Lascars  are  born  under  the  equator.  I  don't  see  how 
any  white  man  can  stoke  in  the  tropics." 

"  You  did  that  ?  —  to  pass  the  time !  While  we  were 
aft,  under  double  awnings,  up  where  we  could  catch 
every  breath  of  air!  Had  I  known  that  you  did  not 
land  at  Port  Mozambique,  I  should  have  —  should 
have—" 

"  Course  you  would  have !  "  he  replied.  "  But  now 
you  see  how  well  it  was  you  did  n't  know." 

"  Perhaps  —     Yet  I  'm  not  so   sure  —     I  —  I  - 
She  clasped  her  hands  over  her  eyes,  as  all  her  grief  and 
anguish  came  back  upon  her  in  full  flood. 

"Oh,  Tom!  what  shall  we  do?  My  dear,  my  poor 
dear !  That  doctor,  with  his  cold,  hard  science ! 
I  have  learned  the  meaning  of  that  fearful  verse  of  the 
Bible:  *  Unto  the  third  and  fourth  generation.'  You 
may  succeed;  you  may  win  your  great  fight  for  self- 
mastery.  But  your  children  —  the  curse  would  hang 


266          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

over  them.  One  and  all,  they  too  might  suffer. 
Though  you  should  hold  to  your  self-mastery,  there 
would  still  be  a  chance, —  epilepsy,  insanity,  your  own 
form  of  the  curse!  And  should  you  again  fall  back 
into  the  pit  — " 

She  stopped,  overcome. 

He  drew  back  a  little  way,  and  stood  regarding  her 
with  a  look  of  utter  despair. 

"  So  that  is  why  you  sent  for  me,"  he  said.  "  I  came 
here  thinking  you  might  be  going  to  give  me  another 
chance.  Now  you  tell  me  it 's  a  lot  worse  than  even  I 
thought." 

"  No,  no ! "  she  protested.  "  I  learned  what  I  've 
told  you  afterward  —  after  I  had  sent  you  the  note. 
You  must  not  think  — " 

He  broke  in  upon  her  explanation  with  a  laugh  as 
mirthless  as  were  his  hard-set  face  and  despairing  eyes. 
She  shrank  back  from  him. 

"  Stop  it !  —  stop  it !  "  she  cried.     "  I  can't  bear  it ! " 

He  fell  silent,  and  began  aimlessly  fumbling  through 
his  pockets.  His  gaze  was  fixed  on  the  wall  above  and 
beyond  her  in  a  vacant  stare. 

"  Tom  1 "  she  whispered,  alarmed  at  his  abstraction. 

He  looked  down  at  her  as  if  mildly  surprised  that 
she  was  still  in  the  room. 

"  Excuse  me,"  he  muttered.  '*  I  was  just  wondering 
what  it  all  amounts  to,  anyway.  A  fellow  squirms  and 
flounders,  or  else  drifts  with  the  current.  Maybe  he 
helps  others  to  keep  afloat,  and  maybe  he  does  n't. 
Maybe  some  one  else  helps  him  hold  up.  But,  sooner  or 


THE     WAY     OF     A    WOMAN  267 

later,  he  goes  down  for  good.  It  will  all  be  the  same 
a  hundred  years  from  now." 

"  No ! "  she  denied.  "  You  know  that 's  not  true. 
You  don't  believe  it." 

He  straightened,  and  raised  his  half -clenched  fist. 

"  You  're  right,  Jenny.  It 's  the  facts,  but  not  the 
truth.  It 's  up  to  a  man  to  pound  away  for  all  he  's 
worth ;  not  whine  around  about  what 's  going  to  happen 
to  him  to-morrow  or  next  year  or  when  he  dies.  Only 
time  I  ever  was  a  floater  was  when  I  was  a  kid  and 
did  n't  know  the  real  meaning  of  work.  Since  then 
I  've  lived.  I  can  at  least  say  I  have  n't  been  a  para- 
site. And  I  've  had  the  fun  of  the  fight." 

He  flung  out  his  hand,  and  his  dulled  eyes  flashed 
with  the  fire  of  battle. 

"  Lord !  —  what  if  I  have  lost  you !  That 's  no 
reason  for  me  to  quit.  You  did  love  me  there  —  and 
I  '11  love  you  always,  little  woman !  You  've  given  me 
a  thousand  times  more  than  I  deserve.  I  've  got  that 
to  remember,  to  keep  me  up  to  the  fighting  pitch.  I  'm 
going  to  keep  on  fighting  this  curse,  anyway.  Idea 
of  a  man  lying  down,  long  as  he  can  stagger!  Even 
if  the  curse  downs  me  in  the  end,  there  're  lots  of  things 
I  can  do  before  I  go  under.  There  're  lots  of  things 
to  be  done  in  the  world  —  big  things !  Pound  away ! 
What  if  a  man  is  to  be  laid  on  the  shelf  to-morrow? 
Pound  away !  Keep  doing  —  that 's  life !  Do  your 
best  —  that 's  living !  " 

"  I  know  of  one  who  has  lived ! "  whispered  Gene- 
vieve. 


268          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  Jenny!  Then  it's  not  true?  You  '11  give  me  an- 
other chance?  You  still  love  me  ?" 

"  Wait !  No,  you  must  not !  "  she  replied,  shrinking 
back  again.  "  I  cannot  —  I  will  not  give  way  1  I 
must  think  of  the  future — not  mine,  but  theirs!  I 
must  do  what  is  right.  I  tell  you,  there  is  one  supreme 
duty  in  a  woman's  lot  —  she  should  choose  rightly  the 
man  who  is  to  be  the  father  of  her  children  1  It  is  a 
crime  to  bring  into  the  world  children  who  are  cursed !  " 

A  flame  of  color  leaped  into  her  face,  but  she  stood 
with  upraised  head,  regarding  him  with  clear  and  candid 
eyes  that  glowed  with  the  ecstasy  of  self-sacrifice. 

Before  her  look,  his  gaze  softened  to  deepest  tender- 
ness and  reverence.  When  he  spoke,  his  voice  was 
hushed,  almost  awed. 

"  Now  I  understand,  Jenny.  It 's  —  it 's  a  holy 
thing  you  've  done  —  telling  me  1  I  '11  never  forget  it, 
night  or  day,  so  long  as  I  live.  Good-bye !  " 

He  turned  to  go  ;  but  in  an  instant  she  was  before  him 
with  hands  outflung  to  stop  him. 

"  Wait !  You  do  not  understand.  Listen !  I  did 
not  mean  what  you  think  —  only  —  only  if  you  fail ! 
Can  you  imagine  I  could  be  so  unjust?  If  you  do 
not  fail  —  if  you  win  —  Oh,  can't  you  see  ?  " 

He  stared  at  her,  dazed  by  the  sudden  glimmering  of 
hope  through  the  blackness  of  his  despair. 

"  But  you  said  that,  even  if  I  should  win  — "  he 
muttered. 

"  Yes,  yes ;  he  told  me  there  would  still  be  a  risk.  But 
I  cannot  believe  it.  At  least  it  would  not  be  so  grave 
a  risk.  Oh,  if  you  can  but  win,  Tom !  " 


THE     WAY     OF     A    WOMAN  269 

"  I  '11  try,"  he  answered  soberly. 

"  You  will  win  —  you  shall  win  !     I  will  help  you." 

"You?" 

"Yes.  Don't  you  understand?  That  is  why  I  sent 
for  you  —  to  tell  you  that." 

"  But  you  said  — " 

"  I  don't  care  what  I  said.  It 's  all  different  now. 
I  see  what  I  should  do.  I  have  failed  far  worse  than 
you.  There  on  that  savage  coast  you  required  me  to 
do  my  share;  but  always  you  stood  ready  to  advise 
and  help  me.  Yet  after  all  that —  How  ungrateful 
you  must  think  me !  " 

"  No,  never ! "  he  cried.  "You  sha'n't  say  that.  I 
can't  stand  it.  You  're  the  truest,  kindest  — " 

"  It 's  like  you  to  say  it ! "  she  broke  in.  "  But  look 
at  the  facts.  Did  you  ever  set  me  a  task  that  called  for 
the  very  utmost  of  my  strength  —  perhaps  more ;  and 
then  turn  coldly  away,  with  the  cruel  word  that  I  must 
win  alone  or  perish?  " 

"  It 's  not  the  same  case  at  all,"  he  remonstrated. 
"  You  're  not  fair  to  yourself.  I  'm  a  man." 

"  And  I  've  'called  myself  a  woman,"  she  replied. 
"  After  those  weeks  with  you  I  thought  myself  no 
longer  a  shallow,  unthinking  girl.  A  woman!  Now  I 
see,  Tom  —  I  know!  I  have  failed  in  the  woman's 
part.  But  now  I  shall  stand  by  you  in  your  fight.  I 
shall  do  my  part,  and  you  will  win !  " 

Blake's  eyes  shone  soft  and  blue,  and  he  again  held 
out  his  arms  to  her.  But  in  the  same  moment  the  glow 
faded  and  his  arms  fell  to  his  side. 

"  I  almost  forgot,"  he  murmured.     "  You  said  that 


270          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

I  must  win  by  my  own  strength  —  that  you  must  be 
sure  of  my  strength." 

"  That  was  before  I  learned  the  truth,"  she  replied. 
"  I  no  longer  ask  so  much.  I  shall  —  I  must  help  you, 
as  you  helped  me.  I  owe  you  life  and  more  than  life. 
You  know  that.  You  cannot  think  me  so  ungrateful 
as  not  to  do  all  I  can." 

**  No,"  he  replied,  with  sudden  resolve.  "  You  are 
to  do  as  you  first  said  —  as  we  agreed." 

"  You  mean,  not  help  you  ?  But  I  must,  Tom,  now 
that  I  realize." 

"  All  I  want  is  another  chance,"  he  said.  "  It 's  more 
than  I  deserve.  I  can't  accept  still  more." 

'*  You  '11  not  let  me  help  you?  Yet  what  the  doctor 
said  makes  it  all  so  different." 

"  Not  to  me,"  replied  Blake,  setting  his  jaw.  "  I  've 
started  in  on  this  fight,  and  I  'm  going  through  with 
it  the  way  I  began.  It  '11  be  a  big  help  to  know  how 
you  feel  now;  but,  just  the  same,  I'm  going  to  fight 
it  out  alone.  The  doctors  may  say  what  they  please, 
—  if  I  have  n't  will  power  enough  to  win,  without  being 
propped  up,  I  'm  not  fit  to  marry  any  woman,  much  less 
you ! " 

"  Tom ! "  she  cried.  "  You  are  the  man  I  thought 
you.  You  will  win ! " 

She  held  out  her  hands  to  him.  He  took  them  in  his 
big  palms,  and  bent  over  to  kiss  her  on  the  forehead. 

"  There !  "  he  said,  stepping  away.  "  That 's  a  lot 
more  than  I  'm  entitled  to  now,  Jenny.  It 's  time  I  left, 
to  go  and  try  to  earn  it." 

"  You  won't  allow  me  to  help  ?  "  she  begged. 


THE    WAY    OF     A    WOMAN  271 

"  No,"  he  answered,  with  a  quiet  firmness  that  she 
knew  could  not  be  shaken. 

"  At  least  you  cannot  keep  me  from  praying  for 
you,"  she  said. 

"  That 's  true ;  and  it  will  be  a  help  to  know  how  you 
feel  about  it  now,"  he  admitted. 

"  You  will  come  again  —  soon  ?  " 

"  No,  not  until  I  begin  to  see  my  way  out  on  the 
Zariba  Dam." 

"  Oh,  that  will  be  soon,  I  'm  sure." 

"  I  hope  so.     Good-bye !  " 

He  turned  and  hurried  from  the  room  with  an  abrupt- 
ness that  in  other  circumstances  she  might  have  thought 
rude.  But  she  understood.  He  was  so  determined  in 
his  purpose  that  he  would  not  take  the  slightest  risk 
that  might  be  incurred  by  lingering. 

She  went  to  a  front  window,  and  watched  him  down 
the  Drive.  His  step  was  quick  but  firm,  and  his  head 
and  shoulders  were  bent  slightly  forward,  as  if  to  meet 
and  push  through  all  obstacles. 


CHAPTER  XXV 

HEAVY    ODDS 

FOR  a  few  days  Lord  James  was  able  to  bring 
Genevieve  encouraging  reports  of  a  vast  im- 
provement  in    Blake's    spirits.     But    still    the 
engineer-inventor  failed  to  make  the  headway  he  had 
expected  toward  the  solution   of  the  complex  and  in- 
tricate problem   of  the  dam.     In   consequence,   he   re- 
doubled  his    efforts    and   worked   overtime,   permitting 
himself  less  than  four  hours  of  sleep  a  night.     His  meals 
he  either  went  without  or  took  at  his  desk. 

All  the  urgings  of  Griffith  and  Lord  James  could  not 
induce  him  to  cease  driving  himself  to  the  very  limit 
of  endurance.  Day  by  day  he  fell  off,  growing  steadily 
thinner  and  more  haggard  and  more  feverish ;  yet  still 
he  toiled  on,  figuring  and  planning,  planning  and 
figuring. 

But  on  the  morning  of  the  day  set  for  Genevieve's 
ball,  the  weary,  haggard  worker  tossed  his  pencil  into 
the  air,  and  uttered  a  shout  that  brought  his  two 
friends  on  a  run  from  Griffith's  office. 

"  I  've  got  it !  I  've  got  it !  "  he  flung  at  them,  as 
they  rushed  in.  He  thrust  a  tablet  across  the  table. 
"  There 's  the  proof.  Check  those  totals,  Grif ." 

Lord  James  leaned  over  the  table  to  grasp  Blake's 
hand. 

272 


HEAVYODDS  273 

"  Gad,  old  man !  "  he  said.  "  Just  in  time  for  you 
to  go  to  the  ball." 

Griffith  paused  in  his  swift  checking  of  Blake's  final 
computations.  "  Ball?  Not  on  your  sweet  life !  He  's 
going  to  bed." 

"  You  promised  to  go,  Tom,"  said  Lord  James. 

"Did  I?"  replied  Blake.  "Well,  then,  of  course 
I  'm  going." 

"  Of  course ! "  jeered  Griffith.  "  It 's  no  use  arguing 
against  a  mule.  Can't  help  but  wish  you  had  n't  re- 
minded him,  Mr.  Scarbridge." 

"  The  change  will  do  him  good,"  argued  Lord 
James. 

"  I  'm  in  for  it,  anyway,"  said  Blake.  "  Only  thing, 
I  wish  I  could  get  some  sleep,  in  between.  Well,  here  's 
for  a  good  hot  bath  and  a  square  meal.  That  Jll  set  me 
up." 

Griffith  shook  his  head.  "  I  'm  not  so  sure.  What 
you  need  is  twelve  hours  on  your  back." 

That  he  was  right  the  Englishman  had  to  admit  him- 
self with  no  little  contrition  before  the  ball  was  half 
over. 

Blake  presented  a  good  figure,  and  though  he  talked 
little  and  danced  less,  yet  on  the  whole  he  produced 
a  very  good  impression.  As  Lord  James  had  once  ob- 
served, with  regard  to  his  visit  at  Ruthby  Castle, 
Blake's  bigness  of  mind  seemed  to  be  instinctively 
sensed  by  nearly  all  those  with  whom  he  came  in  contact 
on  favorable  terms. 

But,  from  the  first,  he  avoided  Genevieve  with  a  per- 
sistence so  marked  as  almost  to  disarm  Mrs.   Gantry. 
18 


274          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

Most  of  his  few  dances  were  with  Dolores,  who  discov- 
ered that,  notwithstanding  his  evident  weariness,  he  was 
astonishingly  light  on  his  feet  and  by  no  means  a  poor 
waltzer.  But  after  midnight  she  found  it  increasingly 
difficult  to  lure  him  out  on  the  floor  whenever  she  was 
seized  with  the  whim  to  favor  him  by  scratching  the 
name  —  and  feelings  —  of  some  other  partner. 

More  than  once  Lord  James  urged  him  to  go  home 
and  turn  in.  Blake's  reply  was  that  he  knew  he  ought 
not  to  have  come  to  the  ball,  but  since  he  had  come,  he 
proposed  to  stick  it  out, —  he  would  not  be  a  quitter. 
So  he  stayed  on,  hour  after  hour,  weary-eyed  and  taci- 
turn, but  by  no  means  ill-humored.  Many  of  the  wall- 
flowers and  elderly  guests  poured  their  chatter  into  his 
unhearing  ear,  and  thought  him  a  most  sympathetic 
listener. 

Genevieve,  however,  with  each  glimpse  that  she  caught 
of  him,  perceived  how  his  fatigue  was  constantly  ver- 
ging toward  exhaustion.  At  last,  between  three  and 
four  in  the  morning,  she  cut  short  a  dance  with  young 
Ashton  and  asked  Lord  James  to  take  her  into  the 
library  for  a  few  minutes'  rest.  He  was  with  Dolores, 
but  immediately  relinquished  her  to  Ashton,  and  went 
off  with  Genevieve. 

They  soon  passed  out  of  the  chatter  and  whirl  of  the 
crowd  into  the  seclusion  of  the  library.  Genevieve  led 
the  way  to  her  father's  favorite  table,  but  avoided  the 
big  high-backed  armchair.  Lord  James  placed  a 
smaller  chair  for  her  at  the  other  side  of  the  table, 
facing  the  door  of  the  cardroom,  and  as  she  sank  into  it 
he  took  the  chair  at  the  corner. 


HEAVY     ODDS  275 

"  Ah !  "  sighed  Genevieve.  "  It 's  so  restful  to  get 
away  from  them  all  for  a  few  moments." 

"  I  wonder  you  're  not  still  more  fatigued.  Awful 
crush,"  replied  Lord  James.  "  I  daresay  you  have  n't 
had  any  chance  all  evening  for  a  nibble  of  anything. 
Directed  that  something  be  brought  to  us  here." 

"  That  was  very  thoughtful  of  you.  I  do  need 
something.  I  'm  depressed  —  It 's  about  Tom.  I 
brought  you  in  here  to  ask  your  opinion.  He  has 
looked  so  haggard  and  worn  to-night." 

"  Overwork,"  explained  Lord  James.  "  He  's  been 
hard  at  it,  day  and  night,  in  that  stuffy  office.  He  could 
stand  any  amount  of  work  out  in  the  open.  But  this 
being  cooped  up  indoors  and  grinding  all  the  time  at 
those  bally  figures !  " 

"  If  only  it 's  nothing  worse !     I  'm  so  afraid  1 " 

"  No.  It  has  n't  come  on  again ;  though  that  may 
happen  any  time  when  he  's  so  nearly  pegged.  Must 
confess,  I  blame  myself  for  urging  him  to  come  to- 
night. But  he  said  he  had  solved  the  big  problem,  and 
I  thought  the  change  would  do  him  good  —  relax  his 
mind,  you  know.  Egregious  mistake,  I  fear.  I  've 
urged  him  to  go ;  but  he  insists  upon  sticking  it  out." 

"  But  you  're  certain  that  he  —  has  —  done  nothing 
as  yet?" 

"  No,  indeed,  I  assure  you !  This  over-fatigue  — 
I  'm  not  even  certain  whether  the  craving  is  on  him  or 
not.  .  .  .  You  '11  pardon  me,  Miss  Genevieve  — 
but  do  you  realize  how  hard  you  have  made  it  for  him, 
cutting  him  off  from  all  help  in  his  desperate  strug- 
gle?" 


276         OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  Then  he  is  fighting  all  alone  ?  "  she  exclaimed. 

"  Yes.  He  won't  allow  even  me  to  jolly  him  up  now. 
He  's  given  me  the  cold  shoulder.  Said  the  inference 
to  be  drawn  from  your  conditions  was  that  he  should 
have  no  help  whatever." 

"Isn't  that  brave!  —  isn't  that  just  like  him!'* 
cried  the  girl,  her  eyes  sparkling  and  cheeks  aglow. 
"  He  will  win  i  I  feel  sure  he  '11  win !  " 

Lord  James  looked  down  at  the  table,  and  asked  in 
rather  an  odd  and  hesitating  tone :  "  We  must  hope 
it.  But  —  if  he  does  win  —  what  then?" 

Blake  came  slowly  into  the  room  through  the  door- 
way behind  them,  his  head  downbent  as  if  he  were  pon- 
dering a  problem. 

Unaware  of  the  newcomer,  Genevieve  looked  regret- 
fully into  the  troubled  face  of  her  companion,  and  an- 
swered him  with  absolute  candor.  "  Dear  friend,  need  I 
repeat?  I  am  very  fond  of  you, 'and  I  esteem  you  very 
highly.  Yet  if  he  succeeds,  I  must  say  '  no  '  to  you." 

As  the  young  Englishman  bent  over,  without  reply- 
ing, Blake  roused  from  his  abstraction  and  perceived 
that  he  was  not  alone  in  the  room. 

"  Hello  — 'scuse  me !  "  he  mumbled.  Half  startled, 
they  turned  to  look  at  him.  He  met  them  with  a  rare 
smile.  "  So  it 's  you,  Jeems  • — •  and  Miss  Jenny. 
Didn't  mean  to  cut  in  on  your  'tates-an'-tay,  as  the 
Irishman  put  it." 

He  started  to  turn  back.  Genevieve  sought  to  stop 
him.  "  Won't  you  join  us,  Tom?  " 

"  Thanks,  no.  It 's  Jimmy's  sit-out.  I  just  stepped 
in  here  to  see  if  I  could  find  a  book  on  the  differential 


HEAVYODDS  277 

calculus.  Been  figuring  a  problem  in  my  head  all 
evening,  and  there  's  a  formula  I  need  to  get  my  final 
solution.  I  know  that  formula  well  as  I  know  you, 
but  somehow  my  memory  seems  to  've  stopped  working." 

"Those  bally  figures!  Can't  you  ever  chop  off?" 
remonstrated  Lord  James.  "  You  're  pegged.  Come 
and  join  us.  Miss  Genevieve  will  be  interested  to  hear 
about  the  dam." 

"  I  'm  interested,  indeed  I  am,  Tom.  Papa  says  you 
are  working  out  a  piece  of  wonderful  engineering." 

Blake  stared.     "  What  does  he  know  about  it?  " 

"  I  suppose  his  consulting  engineer  told  him  —  your 
friend  Mr.  Griffith." 

"  Grif  's  not  working  for  him  now." 

"  Indeed?  Then  I  misunderstood.  Anyway,  you 
must  come  and  explain  all  about  the  dam." 

"  Well,  if  you  insist,"  said  Blake.  He  went  around 
to  the  big  armchair,  across  from  Genevieve,  and  sat 
down  wearily  while  explaining :  "  But  the  dam  is  a 
long  way  from  being  built.  It 's  all  on  paper  yet,  and 
I  've  had  to  rely  on  the  reports  sent  in  by  the  field  en- 
gineers." 

A  footman  came  in  and  set  food  and  wine  before 
Genevieve  and  Lord  James.  Blake  went  on,  with  quick- 
mounting  enthusiasm,  heedless  of  the  coming  and  going 
of  the  soft-footed,  unobtrusive  servant. 

"  That 's  the  only  thing  I  'm  afraid  of.  Would  have 
liked  to  've  gone  over  the  ground  myself  first.  But 
they  had  two  surveys,  and  the  field  notes  check  fairly 
well.  Barring  mistakes  in  them,  I  've  got  the  proposi- 
tion worked  out  to  a  T.  It 's  all  done  except  some 


278          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

figuring  of  details  that  any  good  engineer  could  do. 
Just  as  well,  for  I  'm  about  all  in.  Stiffest  proposi- 
tion I  ever  went  up  against." 

He  sank  back  into  the.  depths  of  the  big  chair,  with 
a  sudden  giving  way  of  enthusiasm  to  fatigue.  Lord 
James  reached  out  his  plate  to  him. 

"  You  are  pegged,  old  man,"  he  said.  "  Have  a 
sandwich." 

"  No,"  replied  Blake.  "  I  'm  too  played  out  to  eat. 
Just  want  to  rest." 

Genevieve  had  been  scrutinizing  his  face,  and  her 
deepening  concern  lent  a  note  of  sharpness  to  her  re- 
proach :  "  You  're  exhausted !  You  should  not  have 
come  to-night ! " 

"  Could  n't  pass  up  a  dance  at  your  house,  could 
I?"  he  smilingly  rejoined.  "Don't  you  worry  about 
me.  It 's  all  right,  long  's  I  've  got  that  whole  damn 
irrigation  system  worked  out." 

"  Ha !  ha !  old  man  !  "  chuckled  Lord  James.  "  That 
expresses  it  to  a  T,  as  you  put  it.  But  would  n't  it 
be  better  form  to  say,  *  the  whole  irrigation  dam  sys- 
tem'?" 

Blake  smiled  shamefacedly.  "  Did  I  make  a  break 
like  —  such  as  that  ?  'Scuse  me,  Miss  Jenny.  I  'm 
sort  of  —  I  'm  rather  muddled  to-night." 

"  No  wonder,  after  all  you  've  done,"  said  Genevieve. 
She  added,  with  a  radiant  smile,  "  But  is  n't  it  glorious 
that  you  've  finished  such  a  great  work !  Papa  says  that 
you  've  actually  invented  a  new  kind  of  dam." 

The  silent  footman  had  reappeared  with  another  plate 
and  glass  of  wine.  He  glided  around  behind  Blake,  who 


HEAVY    ODDS  279 

had  leaned  forward  again  with  the  right  arm  upon  the 
edge  of  the  table.  Unconscious  of  the  servant,  who 
placed  the  plate  and  wine  glass  near  him  on  his  left 
and  quietly  glided  from  the  room,  the  engineer  re- 
sponded to  Genevieve's  remark  with  an  animation  that 
might  have  been  likened  to  the  last  flare  of  a  dying 
candle. 

"  No,"  he  said,  "  it 's  not  exactly  a  new  kind  of 
dam  —  not  an  invention.  I  did  work  out  once  a  modi- 
fication of  bridge  trusses  which  some  might  call  an  in- 
vention,—  new  principle  in  the  application  of  trusses  to 
bridge  structure.  Allows  for  a  longer  suspension  span 
on  cantilever  bridges." 

'  But  this  Zariba  Dam,"  remarked  Lord  James ; 
"  I  've  yet  to  learn,  myself,  just  how  you  worked  it 
out." 

"  Well,  it  was  n't  any  invention ;  just  a  sort  of  dis- 
covery how  to  combine  a  lot  of  well-known  principles 
of  construction  to  fit  the  particular  case.  You  see, 
it 's  this  way.  There  was  only  one  available  site  for 
the  dam,  and  the  mid-section  of  that  was  bottomless  bog ; 
yet  provision  had  to  be  made  for  a  sixty-five  foot  head 
of  water." 

"  You  take  him,  Miss  Genevieve,"  said  Lord  James. 
"  They  have  no  solid  ground  to  build  on,  and  the  water 
above  the  dam  is  to  be  sixty-five  feet  deep." 

"  I  should  think  the  dam  would  sink  into  the  bog," 
remarked  Genevieve. 

"  That  was  one  factor  in  the  problem,"  said  Blake. 
"  Solved  it  by  putting  the  steel  reinforcement  of  the 
concrete  in  the  form  of  my  bridge-truss  span.  The 


280          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

whole  central  section  could  hang  in  midair  and  not 
buckle  or  drop.  That  was  simple  enough,  long  's  I  had 
my  truss  already  invented.  The  main  difficulty  was  that 
deep  bog.  If  you  studied  hydrostatics,  you  'd  soon 
learn  that  a  sixty-five  foot  head  of  water  puts  an  enor- 
mous pressure  on  the  bed  of  a  reservoir." 

Absorbed  in  his  explanation,  Blake  unconsciously 
grasped  the  wine  glass  in  his  left  hand,  as  he  went  on: 

"  That  pressure  would  be  enough  to  make  the  water 
boil  down  through  the  bog  and  clear  out  under  the 
deepest  foundation  any  of  the  other  engineers  had  been 
able  to  figure  out.  Well,  I  figured  and  figured,  but 
somehow  I  could  n't  make  anything  in  the  books  go. 
At  last,  when  I  had  almost  given  up  — " 

"  No !  you  could  n't  do  that,"  put  in  Lord  James. 

Blake  smiled  at  him,  and  paused  to  grasp  again  his 
broken  thread  of  thought.  In  the  fatal  moment  when 
his  wakeful  consciousness  was  diverted,  and  before  Lord 
James  could  interpose  to  avert  the  act,  his  subcon- 
sciousness  automatically  caused  his  left  hand  to  raise  the 
glass  which  it  held  to  his  lips. 

Before  he  was  aware  of  what  he  was  doing,  he  had 
taken  a  sip  of  the  wine.  An  instant  afterward  the 
glass  shattered  on  the  floor  beside  his  chair,  and  he 
clutched  at  the  edge  of  the  table,  his  face  convulsed 
and  his  eyes  glaring  with  the  horror  of  what  he  had 
done. 

"Hell!"  he  gasped. 

Genevieve  rose  and  started  back  from  the  table, 
shocked  and  frightened  by  what  she  mistook  for  an 


His  jaw  closed  fast, — and  in  the  same  instant  his  outstretched 
hand  smashed  down  upon  the  wine  glass 


HEAVY     ODDS  281 

outburst  of  rage  or  madness.  Lord  James  rose  almost 
as  quickly,  no  less  shocked  and  quite  as  uncertain  as 
to  what  his  friend  would  do. 

"  Tom !  "  he  called  warningly,  and  he  laid  his  hand 
on  Blake's  shoulder. 

Almost  beside  himself  in  the  paroxysm  of  fear  and 
craving  that  had  stricken  his  face  white  and  half  choked 
him  with  seeming  rage,  Blake  shook  off  the  restrain- 
ing hand,  and  gasped  hoarsely  at  Genevieve :  "  Wine ! 
—  here  —  in  your  house !  God !  Shoved  into  my  hand ! 
Smell  was  n't  enough  —  must  taste  it !  God !  Tough 
deal !  " 

"  Lord  Avondale ! "  cried  Genevieve,  and  she  turned 
to  leave  the  room,  furiously  indignant. 

"  Gad !  old  man  t "  murmured  Lord  James,  staring 
uncertainly  from  Blake  to  the  angry  girl,  for  once  in 
his  life  utterly  disconcerted  and  bewildered.  He  was 
unable  to  think,  and  the  impulse  of  his  breeding  urged 
him  to  accompany  Genevieve.  After  a  moment's 
vacillation,  he  sprang  about  and  hastened  with  her  from 
the  room. 

Blake  sat  writhing  in  dumb  anguish,  his  distended 
eyes  fixed  upon  the  doorway  for  many  moments  after 
they  had  gone.  Then  slowly  yet  as  though  drawn  by 
an  irresistible  force,  his  gaze  sank  until  it  rested  upon 
the  half-filled  wine  glass  left  by  Lord  James.  He 
glared  at  it  in  fearful  fascination.  Suddenly  his  hand 
shot  out  to  clutch  at  it, —  and  as  suddenly  was  drawn 
back. 

There  followed  a   grim   and  silent  struggle,   which 


282          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

ended  in  a  second  clutch  at  the  glass.  This  time  the 
shaking  fingers  closed  on  the  slender  stem.  The  wine 
was  almost  wetting  his  lips  when,  with  a  convulsive 
jerk,  he  flung  it  out  upon  the  rug  beside  his  chair. 

Shuddering  and  quivering,  Blake  sank  back  in  the 
chair,  with  his  left  arm  upraised  across  his  face  as 
if  he  were  expectant  of  a  crushing  blow  or  sought  to 
shut  out  some  horrible  sight.  His  right  arm  slipped 
limply  down  outside  the  chair-arm,  and  the  empty  glass 
dropped  to  the  floor  out  of  his  relaxing  fingers. 

Yet  the  lull  in  the  contest  was  only  momentary.  As 
his  protecting  arm  sank  down  again,  his  bloodshot  eyes 
caught  sight  of  the  wine  in  Genevieve's  glass.  In- 
stantly he  started  up  rigid  in  his  chair  and  clutched 
the  edge  of  the  table,  as  if  to  spring  up  and  escape. 
But  he  could  not  tear  his  gaze  away  from  the  crimson 
wine. 

Again  there  came  the  grim  and  silent  struggle,  and 
again  the  fierce  craving  for  drink  compelled  his  hand 
to  go  out  to  grasp  the  glass.  But  his  will  was  not 
yet  totally  benumbed.  As  his  fingers  crooked  to  clutch 
the  glass-stem,  he  made  a  last  desperate  effort  to  with- 
stand the  all  but  irresistible  impulse  that  was  forcing 
him  over  the  brink  of  the  pit.  Beads  of  cold  sweat 
started  out  on  his  forehead.  His  face  creased  with  fur- 
rows of  unbearable  agony.  His  mouth  gaped.  The 
serpent  had  him  by  the  throat. 

The  struggling  man  realized  that  he  was  on  the  verge 
of  defeat.  He  was  almost  overcome.  In  a  flash  he 
perceived  the  one  way  to  escape.  For  a  single  instant 


HEAVY     ODDS  283 

his  slack  jaw  closed  fast, —  and  in  the  same  instant  his 
outstretched  hand  clenched  together  and  upraised  and 
smashed  down  upon  the  wine  glass. 

Utterly  exhausted,  the  victor  collapsed  forward,  with 
head  and  arms  upon  the  table,  in  a  half  swoon  that 
quickly  passed  into  the  sleep-stupor  of  outspent 
strength. 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

TURNING  THE  ODD  THICK 

THUS  it  was  Lord  James  found  his  friend  when 
he  came  hurrying  back  into  the  library.     He 
did   not   rouse   Blake   to   ask   questions.     One 
glance  at  the  shattered  glass  and  Blake's  bleeding  hand 
was    enough  to   tell  him  what  had  happened.     There 
could  be   no   doubt  that  Blake  had  won.     It  was   no 
less  certain,  however,  that  the  struggle  had  cost  him 
the  last  ounce  of  his  strength.     What  he  now  needed 
was  absolute  rest. 

With  utmost  gentleness,  Lord  James  examined  the 
cut  hand  for  fragments  of  glass  and  bound  it  up  with 
his  own  handkerchief.  As  quietly,  he  gathered  up  the 
broken  glass  and  the  dishes,  and  wiped  the  blood  and 
wine  from  the  table.  Another  hour  would  see  the  end 
of  the  ball.  Many  of  the  guests  already  had  gone,  and 
it  was  not  probable  that  any  of  those  who  remained 
would  leave  the  ballroom  or  the  cardroom  to  wander 
into  the  secluded  library.  Yet  he  thought  it  as  well  to 
remove  the  traces  of  Blake's  struggle.  He  placed  the 
bandaged  hand  of  his  unconscious  friend  down  on  the 
chair-arm,  in  the  shadow  of  the  edge  of  the  table,  and 
went  out  with  the  plates  and  glass,  closing  the  door 
behind  him. 

He  had  been  gone  only  a  few  minutes  when  the  door 
284 


TURNING     THE     ODD     TRICK       285 

of  the  cardroom  swung  open  before  a  sharp  thrust,  and 
Mr.  Leslie  stepped  into  the  library,  followed  by  Mrs. 
Gantry.  Mr.  Leslie  closed  the  door,  and  each  took 
advantage  of  the  seclusion  to  blink  and  yawn  and 
stretch  luxuriously.  They  had  just  risen  from  the  card 
table,  and  were  both  cramped  and  sleepy.  Also  neither 
perceived  Blake,  who  was  hidden  from  them  by  the  back 
of  the  big  chair. 

"  Ho-ho-hum ! "  yawned  Mr.  Leslie,  in  a  last  relax- 
ing stretch.  "  That  ends  it  for  this  time."  He  wagged 
his  head  at  his  sister-in-law,  and  rubbed  his  hands  to- 
gether exultantly.  "  For  once  you  '11  have  to  admit 
I  can  play  bridge." 

"  For  once,"  she  conceded,  as  she  moved  toward  the 
table.  "  You  're  still  nothing  more  than  a  whist-player, 
yet  had  it  not  been  for  the  honor  score,  you  'd  have 
beaten  us  disgracefully.  One  is  fortunate  when  one  has 
the  honor  score  in  one's  favor." 

"  H'm !  h'm  I "  he  rallied.  "  I  '11  admit  you  women 
can  score  honor,  but  the  question  is,  do  you  know  what 
honor  is  ?  " 

"  Most  certainly  —  when  the  score  is  in  our  favor. 
One  would  fancy  you  'd  been  reading  Ibsen.  Of  all  the 
bad  taste  — "  Mrs.  Gantry  stopped  short,  to  raise  her 
lorgnette  and  stare  at  the  flaccid  form  of  Blake. 
"  Hoity-toity  !  What  have  we  here  ?  " 

"  Hey  ?  "  queried  Mr.  Leslie,  peering  around  her 
shoulder.  "  Asleep  ?  Who  is  he  ?  " 

Mrs.  Gantry  turned  to  him  and  answered  in  a  lowered 
voice :  "  It 's  that  fellow,  Blake.  I  do  believe  he  's  in- 
toxicated." 


286          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  Intoxicated? "  exclaimed  Mr.  Leslie.  He  went 
quickly  around  and  bent  over  Blake.  He  came  back 
to  her  on  tiptoe  and  led  her  away  from  the  table. 

"  You  're  mistaken,"  he  whispered.  "  I  'm  certain 
he  has  n't  touched  a  drop." 

"Certain?" 

"  Yes.  Some  one  has  spilled  wine  on  the  table ;  but 
his  breath  proves  that  he  has  n't  had  any.  It 's  merely 
that  he  's  worn  out  —  fallen  asleep.  Poor  boy !  " 

"  '  Poor  boy'?  "  repeated  Mrs.  Gantry,  quizzing  her 
brother-in-law  through  her  lorgnette. 

"  H'm.  Why  not  ?  "  he  demanded.  "  I  was  most  un- 
just  to  him.  I've  been  compelled  to  reverse  my  judg- 
ment of  him  on  every  point  that  was  against  him.  As 
you  know,  he  refused  everything  I  offered  in  the  way 
of  money  or  position.  He  has  proved  that  his  inten- 
tions are  absolutely  honorable, —  and  now  he  has  proved 
himself  a  great  engineer.  By  his  solution  of  the 
Zariba  Dam  problem,  he  has  virtually  put  half  a  million 
dollars  into  my  pocket." 

"  I  understood  that  you  turned  that  pro j  ect  over  to 
some  company." 

"  The  Coville  Company  —  of  which  I  own  over  ninety- 
five  per  cent  of  the  stock.  He  would  quit  if  he  knew 
it,  and  I  can't  afford  to  lose  him.  The  solution  of 
the  dam  is  a  wonderful  feat  of  engineering.  That 's 
what 's  the  matter  with  him  now.  He  worked  at  it 
to  the  point  of  exhaustion  —  and  then  for  him  to  come 
here,  already  worn  out !  " 

"  I  'm  sure  he  was  quite  welcome  to  stay  away,"  put 
in  the  lady. 


TURNING     THE     ODD     TRICK       287 

Mr.  Leslie  frowned,  and  went  on :  "  Griffith  tells  me 
that  he  can  stand  any  amount  of  outdoor  work,  but 
that  office  work  runs  him  down  fast.  But  I  '11  soon 
fix  that.  We  've  arranged  to  put  him  in  charge  of  the 
Michamac  Bridge." 

"  In  charge?  How  will  you  get  rid  of  Lafayette? 
You  've  grumbled  so  often  about  his  having  a  contract 
to  remain  there  as  chief  builder,  because  he  drew  the 
bridge  plans." 

"  Copied  them,  you  should  say." 

"Ah,  is  that  the  term?" 

"  For  what  he  did,  yes  —  unless  one  uses  the  stronger 
term." 

"  I  quite  fail  to  take  you." 

"  You  '11  understand  —  later  on.  Griffith  and  I  are 
figuring  that  Tom  will  take  the  bridge  and  keep  it." 

"  He  has  my  heartfelt  wish  that  he  will  take  it  soon, 
and  remain  in  personal  possession  for  all  time ! " 

**  H'm.  I  presume  Genevieve  could  come  down  to 
visit  us  occasionally." 

"  Herbert  1     You  surely  cannot  mean  —  ?  " 

"  Griffith  has  told  me  something  in  connection  with 
this  bridge  that  proves  Thomas  Blake  to  be  one  of 
the  greatest  engineers,  if  not  the  greatest,  in  America. 
I  'd  be  proud  to  have  him  for  a  son-in-law." 

"  Impossible !  impossible!  It  can't  be  you  '11  with- 
draw your  opposition ! " 

"  Not  only  that ;  I  '11  back  him  to  win.  I  like  your 
earl.  He  's  a  fine  young  fellow.  But,  after  all,  Blake 
is  an  American." 

"  He  's  a  brute !     Herbert,  it  is  impossible  1 " 


288          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  They  said  that  dam  was  impossible.  He  has  mas- 
tered it.  He  's  big ;  he  's  got  brains.  He  '11  be  a  gentle- 
man within  six  months.  He  's  a  genius !  " 

"  Poof!     He  's  a  degenerate !  " 

"  You  '11  see,"  rejoined  Mr.  Leslie.  He  went  back  to 
the  table  and  tapped  the  sleeper  sharply  on  the  shoulder. 

Blake  stirred,  and  mumbled  drowsily :  "  Huh !  what  — 
whatcha  want?" 

"  Wake  up,"  answered  Mr.  Leslie.  "  I  wish  to  con- 
gratulate you." 

Blake  slowly  heaved  himself  up  and  blinked  at  his 
disturber  with  haggard,  bloodshot  eyes.  He  was  still 
very  weary  and  only  half  roused  from  his  stupor. 

"  Huh !  "  he  muttered.  "  Must  'uv  dropped  'sleep  — 
Dog  tired."  His  bleared  gaze  swung  around  and  took 
in  Mrs.  Gantry.  He  started  and  tried  to  sit  more  erect. 
"  Excuse  me !  Did  n't  know  there  was  a  lady  here." 

"  Don't  apologize.  That 's  for  me  to  do,"  interposed 
Mr.  Leslie,  offering  his  hand.  "  My  —  that  is,  the 
Coville  Company  officers  tell  me  you  've  worked  out  a 
wonderful  piece  of  engineering  for  them." 

Blake  stared  hard  at  the  bookcase  behind  Mrs. 
Gantry  and  answered  curtly,  oblivious  of  the  older 
man's  hand.  "  That  remains  to  be  seen.  It 's  only  on 
paper,  so  far." 

"  But  I  —  h'm  —  it  seems  they  are  sufficiently  satis- 
fied to  wish  to  put  you  in  charge  of  the  Michamac 
Bridge." 

"  In  charge?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  How  about  Ashton  —  their  contract  with  him?  " 


TURNING     THE     ODD     TRICK       289 

"  That 's  to  be  settled  later.  I  wish  —  h'm  —  I  un- 
derstand that  you  are  to  be  sent  nominally  as  Assist- 
ant Engineer." 

"  I  am,  eh?     Excuse  me!  " 

"At  double  the  salary  of  Ashton,  and  — " 

"  Not  at  ten  times  the  salary  as  his  assistant ! " 

"  But  you  must  know  that  Griffith's  doctor  has  or- 
dered him  to  Florida,  and  with  the  work  rushing  on 
the  bridge —  He  tells  me  it  has  reached  the  most 
critical  stage  of  construction  —  that  suspension 
span  — " 

"  You  seem  mighty  interested  in  a  project  you  got  rid 
of,"  remarked  Blake,  vaguely  conscious  of  the  other's 
repressed  eagerness. 

"  Yes.  I  was  the  first  to  consider  the  possibility 
of  bridging  the  strait." 

"  Your  idea,  was  it?  "  said  Blake,  with  reluctant  ad- 
miration. "  It  was  a  big  one,  all  right." 

"  Nothing  as  compared  to  the  invention  of  that 
bridge,"  returned  Mr.  Leslie. 

"  Your  young  friend  Ashton  sure  is  a  great  one," 
countered  Blake. 

"  The  man  who  planned  that  bridge  is  a  genius," 
stated  Mr.  Leslie  with  enthusiasm.  "  That 's  one  fact. 
Another  is  that  Laffie  Ashton  is  unfit  to  supervise  the 
construction  of  the  suspension  span.  I  '11  see  to  it 
myself  that  the  matter  is  so  arranged  that  you — " 

"  Thanks,  no.  You  '11  do  nothing  of  the  kind,"  broke 
in  Blake.  He  spoke  without  brusqueness  yet  with  stub- 
born determination.  "  I  don't  want  any  favors  from 
you,  and  you  know  why.  I  can  appreciate  your  con- 
19 


290          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

gratulations,  long  as  you  seem  to  want  to  be  friendly. 
But  you  need  n't  say  anything  to  the  company." 

"  Very  well,  very  well,  sir ! "  snapped  Mr.  Leslie, 
irritated  at  the  rebuff.  He  jerked  himself  about  to 
Mrs.  Gantry.  "  There  's  time  yet.  What  do  you  say 
to  another  rubber?  " 

"  You  should  have  spoken  before  we  rose,"  replied 
the  lady.  "  There  '11  be  others  who  wish  to  go. 
You  '11  be  able  to  take  over  some  one's  hand.  I  prefer 
to  remain  in  here  for  a  tete-a  tete  with  Mr.  Blake." 

Blake  and  Mr.  Leslie  stared  at  her,  alike  surprised. 
The  younger  man  muttered  in  far  other  than  a  cordial 
tone :  "  Thanks.  But  I  'm  not  fit  company.  Ought 
to  've  been  abed  and  'sleep  hours  ago." 

"  Yet  if  you  '11  pardon  me  for  insisting,  I  wish  to 
have  a  little  chat  with  you,"  replied  Mrs.  Gantry. 

At  her  expectant  glance,  Mr.  Leslie  started  for  the 
door  of  the  cardroom.  As  he  went  out  and  closed  the 
door,  Mrs.  Gantry  took  the  chair  on  the  other  side  of 
the  table  from  Blake,  and  explained  in  a  confidential 
tone :  "  It  is  about  this  unfortunate  situation." 

Blake  stared  at  her,  with  a  puzzled  frown.  "  Un- 
fortunate what?  " 

"  Unfortunate  situation,"  she  replied,  making  an  ef- 
fort to  moderate  her  superciliousness  to  mere  conde- 
scension. "  I  assure  you,  I  too  have  learned  that  first 
impressions  may  err.  I  cannot  now  believe  that  you 
are  torturing  my  niece  purposely." 

Blake  roused  up  on  the  instant,  for  the  first  time 
wide  awake. 

"What!"   he   demanded.     "  I  — torturing  — her?  " 


TURNING     THE     ODD     TRICK       291 

"  Most  unfortunately,  that  is,  at  least,  the  effect  of 
the  situation." 

"But  I  —  I  don't  understand!  What  is  it,  anyhow? 
I  'd  do  anything  to  save  her  the  slightest  suffering ! " 

"  Ah ! "  said  Mrs.  Gantry,  and  she  averted  her  gaze. 

"  Don't  you  believe  me  ?  "  he  demanded. 

"  To  be  sure  —  to  be  sure !  "  she  hastened  to  respond. 
"  Had  I  not  thought  you  capable  of  that,  I  should  not 
have  troubled  to  speak  to  you." 

"But  what  is  it?  What  do  you  mean?"  he  asked, 
with  swift-growing  uneasiness. 

"  I  do  not  say  that  I  blame  you  for  failing  to  see 
and  understand,"  she  evaded.  "  No  doubt  you,  too, 
have  suffered." 

"  Yes,  I  've  —  But  that 's  nothing.  It 's  Jenny ! " 
he  exclaimed,  fast  on  the  barbed  hook.  "  Good  God ! 
if  it 's  true  I  've  made  her  suffer  —  But  how  ?  Why  ? 
I  don't  understand." 

Mrs.  Gantry  studied  him  with  a  gravity  that  seemed 
to  include  a  trace  of  sympathy.  There  was  an  almost 
imperceptible  tremor  in  her  voice. 

"  Need  I  tell  you,  Mr.  Blake,  how  a  girl  of  her  high 
ideals,  her  high  conception  of  noblesse  oblige,  of  duty 
(you  saved  her  life  as  heroically  as  —  er  —  as  a  fire- 
man) —  need  I  point  out  how  grateful  she  must  always 
feel  toward  you,  and  how  easily  she  might  mistake  her 
gratitude  for  something  else?  " 

"  You  mean  that  she  —  that  she  — "  He  could  not 
complete  the  sentence. 

Mrs.  Gantry  went  on  almost  blandly.  "  A  girl  of  her 
fine  and  generous  nature  is  apt  to  mistake  so  strong  a 


292  OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

feeling  of  gratitude  for  what  you  no  doubt  thought  it 
was." 

"  Yet  that  morning  —  on  the  cliffs  —  when  the 
steamer  came  — " 

"  Even  then.  Can  you  believe  that  if  she  really 
loved  you  then,  she  could  doubt  it  now  ?  " 

"  You  say  she  —  does  —  doubt  it  ?  I  thought  that  — 
maybe  — '*  The  heavy  words  dragged  until  they  failed 
to  pass  Blake's  tense  lips. 

"  Doubt  it !  "  repeated  Mrs.  Gantry.  "  Has  she  ac- 
cepted you?  " 

"  No.     I  — " 

"  Has  she  promised  you  anything?  " 

"  No.     She  said  that,  unless  she  was  sure  — " 

"  What  more  do  you  need  to  realize  that  she  is  not 
sure?  Can  you  fancy  for  a  moment  that  she  would 
hesitate  if  she  really  loved  you  —  if  she  did  not  in- 
tuitively realize  that  her  feeling  is  no  more  than  grati- 
tude? That  is  why  she  is  suffering  so.  She  realizes 
the  truth,  yet  will  not  admit  it  even  to  herself." 

"  Blake  forced  himself  to  face  the  worst.  "  Then 
what  —  what  do  you  —  ?  " 

"  Ah  1  so  you  really  are  generous ! "  exclaimed  Mrs. 
Gantry,  beaming  upon  him  with  unfeigned  suavity. 
"  Need  I  tell  you  that  she  is  extremely  fond  of  Lord 
Avondale?  With  him  there  could  be  no  doubts,  no  un- 
certainties." 

"  Jimmy  is  all  right,"  loyally  assented  Blake.  "  Yes, 
he 's  all  right.  Just  the  same,  unless  she  — "  He 
stopped,  unable  to  speak  the  word. 


TURNING     THE     ODD     TRICK       293 

"  In  accepting  him  she  would  attain  to  — "  The 
tactful  dame  paused,  considered,  and  altered  her  remark. 
"  With  him  she  would  be  happy." 

"  I  'm  not  saying  '  no '  to  that,"  admitted  Blake. 
"  That  is,  provided  — " 

"Ah!  And  you  say  you  love  her!"  broke  in  Mrs. 
Gantry.  "  What  love  is  it  that  would  stand  between  her 
and  happiness  —  that  would  compel  her  to  sacrifice  her 
life,  out  of  gratitude  to  you?  " 

Blake  bent  over  and  asked  in  a  dull  murmur:  "You 
are  sure  it 's  that  ?  " 

"  Indeed,  yes !  How  can  it  be  otherwise?  —  a  girl  of 
her  breeding ;  and  you  —  what  you  are !  " 

Blake  bent  over  still  lower,  and  all  his  fortitude  could 
not  repress  the  groan  that  rose  to  his  lips.  Mrs.  Gantry 
watched  him  closely,  her  face  set  in  its  suave  smile,  but 
her  eyes  hard  and  cold.  She  went  on,  without  a  sign  of 
compunction :  "  But  I  now  believe  you  are  possessed  of 
sterling  qualities,  else  I  should  not  have  troubled  to  speak 
the  truth  to  you." 

She  paused  to  emphasize  what  was  to  follow.  '*  There 
is  only  one  way  for  you  to  save  her.  She  is  too  gener- 
ous to  save  herself.  I  believe  that  you  really  love  her. 
You  can  prove  it  by  — "  again  she  paused  — "  going 
away." 

Blake  bent  over  on  the  table  and  buried  his  face  in  his 
arms.  His  smothered  groan  would  have  won  him  the 
compassion  of  a  savage.  It  was  the  cry  of  a  strong 
man  crushed  under  an  unbearable  burden.  Mrs.  Gan- 
try was  not  a  savage.  Her  eyes  sparkled  coldly. 


294          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  You  will  go  away.  You  will  prove  your  love  for 
her,"  she  said. 

Certain  that  she  had  accomplished  what  she  had  set 
out  to  do,  she  returned  to  the  cardroom,  and  left  her  vic- 
tim to  his  misery  and  despair. 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

A  PACKING  CASE 

ALREADY  exhausted  by  the  stress  of  the  fierce 
fight  that  he  had  so  hardly  won,  Blake  could 
no  longer  sustain  such  acute  grief.     Nature 
mercifully   dulled  his   consciousness.     He   sank  into   a 
stupor  that  outwardly  was  not  unlike  heavy  slumber. 

Mrs.  Gantry  had  been  gone  several  minutes  when  the 
other  door  swung  open.  Dolores  skipped  in,  closely 
followed  by  Lafayette  Ashton.  The  young  man's  face 
was  flushed,  and  there  was  a  slight  uncertainty  in  his 
step;  but  as  he  closed  the  door  and  followed  the  girl 
across  the  room,  he  spoke  with  rather  more  distinctness 
than  usual. 

"  Here  we  are,  ma  cher.  I  knew  we  'd  find  a  place 
where  you  could  show  me  how  kind  you  feel  toward  your 
fond  Fayette." 

"  So  that 's  the  way  you  cross  the  line  ?  "  criticised 
Dolores.  "  What  a  get-away  for  a  fast  pacer  who  has 
gone  the  pace !  " 

"  Now,  Dodie,  don't  hang  back.  You  know  as  well  as 
I  do  — " 

"  Hush !  Don't  whisper  it  aloud ! "  cautioned  the 
girl,  pointing  dramatically  to  Blake.  "  Betray  no 
secrets.  We  are  not  alone !  " 

295 


296          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

Ashton  muttered  a  French  curse,  and  went  over  to  the 
table. 

"  It 's  that  fellow,  Blake,"  he  whispered,  over  his 
shoulder. 

"  Mr.  Blake  ?  "  exclaimed  Dolores,  tiptoeing  to  the 
table.  "  He  's  gone  to  sleep.  Poor  man !  I  know  he 
must  be  awfully  tired,  else  he  would  have  waltzed  with 
me  again  the  last  time  I  scratched  your  name." 

"  What  you  and  Genevieve  can  see  in  him  gets  me ! " 
muttered  Ashton,  with  a  shrug.  "  Look  at  him  now. 
Need  n't  tell  me  he 's  asleep.  He 's  intoxicated. 
That 's  what 's  the  matter  with  him." 

Dolores  leaned  far  over  the  table  toward  Blake, 
sniffed,  and  drew  back,  with  a  judicial  shake  of  her  head. 
"  Can't  detect  it.  But,  then,  I  could  n't  expect  to,  with 
you  in  the  room." 

"Now,  Dodie!" 

She  again  leaned  over  the  table.  "  See,"  she  whis- 
pered. "  His  hand  is  tied  up.  It 's  hurt." 

"  Told  you  he  's  intoxicated,"  insisted  Ashton. 

The  girl  moved  toward  a  davenport  in  the  corner 
farthest  from  Blake. 

"  Come  over  here,"  she  ordered.  "  It 's  a  nuisance  to 
sit  it  out  with  you,  when  it 's  one  of  the  last  waltzes. 
At  least  I  won't  let  you  disturb  Mr.  Blake." 

"  Mr.  T.  Blake,  our  heroic  cave-man ! "  replied  Ash- 
ton, as  he  followed  her  across  the  room. 

"  How  you  love  him !  "  she  rallied.  "  What 's  the 
cause  of  your  jealousy?  " 

"  Who  says  I  'm  jealous?  " 

"  Of  course  there  's  no  reason  for  you  to  be.     He  's 


A    PACKING    CASE  297 

not  interested  in  me,  and  you  're  not  in  Genevieve  — 
just  now." 

"  My  dear  Dodie!  You  know  you've  always  been 
the  only  one." 

"  Since  the  last !  "  she  added.  "  But  if  it 's  not  jeal- 
ousy, what  is  it  ?  —  professional  envy  ?  You  've  been 
knocking  him  all  the  evening.  You  began  it  the  day  he 
came.  What  have  you  against  him,  anyway?  He  has 
never  wronged  you." 

Ashton's  eyes  narrowed,  and  one  corner  of  his  mouth 
drew  up. 

"  Has  n't  he,  though !  "  he  retorted.  "  The  big  brute ! 
I  can't  imagine  how  your  mother  can  allow  you  and 
Genevieve  to  speak  to  him,  when  she  knows  what  he  is. 
And  your  uncle  —  the  low  fellow  tried  to  blackmail  him 
—  accused  him  of  stealing  his  bridge  plans.  First  thing 
I  know,  he  '11  be  saying  /  did  it !  " 

"  Did  you?  "  teased  the  girl,  as  she  seated  herself  on 
the  heap  of  pillows  at  the  head  of  the  davenport. 

Ashton's  flushed  face  turned  a  sickly  yellow.  He  fell, 
rather  than  seated  himself,  in  the  centre  of  the  daven- 
port. 

"  What  —  what  — "  he  babbled ;  "  you  don't  mean  — 
No!  I  didn't!  — I  tell  you,  I  didn't!  They're  my 
plans ;  I  drew  them  all  myself !  " 

"Why,  Laffie!  what  is  the  matter  with  you?"  she 
demanded,  half  startled  out  of  her  mockery.  "  Can 
it  be  you  've  mixed  them  too  freely  ?  Or  is  it  the 
lobster?  You  've  a  regular  heavy-seas-the-first-day- 
out  look." 

He  managed  to  pull  himself  together  and  mutter  in 


298          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

assent :  "  Yes,  it  must  be  the  lobster.  But  the  sight  of 
that  brute  is  enough  to  —  to  — " 

"  Then  perhaps  you  had  better  leave  the  room," 
sweetly  advised  Dolores.  "  Mr.  Blake  happens  to  be  one 
of  my  friends." 

"  No,  he  is  n't,"  corrected  Ashton. 

"  Really ! " 

"  No.  I  won't  have  it.  You  need  n't  expect  me  to 
have  anything  to  do  with  you  unless  you  cut  him." 

"  Oh,  Laffie !  how  could  you  be  so  cruel?  "  she  mocked. 

He  was  so  far  intoxicated  that  he  mistook  her  sarcasm 
for  entreaty.  He  responded  with  maudlin  fervor. 
"  Don't  weep,  Dodiekins !  I  '11  be  as  easy  on  you  as  I 
can.  You  see,  I  must  inform  you  on  such  things,  if 
you  're  to  be  my  fiancee." 

She  was  quick  to  note  his  mistake,  and  sobbed  real- 
istically: "Fi-fiancee!  Oh!  Oh,  Laffie!  Bu-but  you 
have  n't  asked  me  yet  1 " 

He  moved  along  the  davenport  nearer  to  her,  and  at- 
tempted to  clasp  her  hand. 

"  You  're  a  coy  one,  Dodiekins  !  "  he  replied.  "  Of 
course  I  'm  asking  you,  you  know  that.  You  can't 
think  I  don't  mean  it.  You  know  I  mean  it." 

"Really?" 

"  Of  course !  Have  n't  I  been  trying  to  get  a  chance 
to  tell  you,  all  the  evening?  Of  course  I  mean  it! 
You  're  the  fair  maiden  of  my  choice,  Dodiekins,  even 
if  you  are  n't  so  rich  as  some." 

"  Fair?  —  but  I  'm  a  brunette,"  she  corrected.  "  It 's 
Genevieve  you  're  thinking  of.  Confess  now,  it  is, 
isn't  it?" 


A     PACKING     CASE  299 

"  No,  indeed,  no !  "  he  protested.  "  I  prefer  brunettes 
—  always  have !  You  're  a  perfect  brunette,  Dodiekins. 
T  've  always  liked  you  more  than  Genevieve.  You  're  the 
perfect  brunette  type,  and  you  have  all  that  verve  — 
you  're  so  spirituelle.  Just  say  *  yes '  now,  and  let 's 
have  it  over  with.  To-morrow  I  '11  buy  you  the  biggest 
solitaire  in  town." 

"Oh,  Laffie!  — the  biggest?  You're  too  kind!  I 
could  n't  think  of  it !  "  she  mocked. 

"  But  I  mean  it,  Dodie,  every  word,  indeed  I  do ! " 
he  insisted,  ardently  thrusting  out  an  arm  to  em- 
brace her. 

She  slipped  clear,  and  sprang  up,  to  stand  just  be- 
yond his  reach. 

"  So  great  an  honor ! "  she  murmured.  "  How  can  I 
deprive  all  the  other  girls  of  the  greatest  catch  in 
town?" 

"  They  Ve  tried  hard  enough  to  catch  me,"  he  replied. 
"  But  I  'd  rather  have  you  than  all  the  blondes  put  to- 
gether. I  mean  it,  every  word.  I  don't  mind  at  all  that 
you  're  not  so  rich  as  Genevieve.  I  '11  have  enough  for 
two,  as  soon  as  the  old  man  shuffles  off  this  mortal  coil. 
You  '11  bring  him  dead  to  rights  on  the  will  question. 
He  likes  you  almost  as  well  as  he  likes  Genevieve. 
You  're  second  choice  with  him." 

"Second!  —  not  the  third?  —  nor  the  fourth? 
You  're  sure?  " 

"  No,  second ;  and  you  can  count  on  it,  he  '11  do  the 
handsome  thing  by  Mrs.  Lafayette,  even  if  he  keeps  me 
on  an  allowance.  So  now,  say  the  word,  and  come  and 
cuddle  up." 


300          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"Oh,  Laffie!  —  in  here?  We  might  disturb  Mr. 
Blake." 

"  Blake ! "  he  muttered,  and  he  looked  angrily  at  the 
big  inert  form  half  prostrate  on  the  table.  "  He  's  in- 
toxicated, I  tell  you  —  or  if  he  's  not,  he  ought  to  be. 
The  insolence  of  him,  hanging  around  Genevieve!  I 
hope  he  is  drunk  I  That  would  settle  it  all.  We  'd  be 
rid  of  him  then." 

"  «  We  '  ?  "  queried  Dolores. 

He  caught  her  curious  glance,  and  hastened  to  dis- 
claim :  "  No,  not  we  —  Genevieve  —  I  meant  Genevieve, 
of  course !  " 

Dolores  affected  a  coquettish  air.  "  Oh,  Mr.  Brice- 
Ashton !  I  do  believe  you  want  to  get  him  out  of  the 
way." 

"  I?  No,  no !  "  he  protested,  with  an  uneasy,  furtive 
glance  at  Blake. 

"  Don't  try  to  fool  me,"  she  insisted.  "  I  know  your 
scheme.  But  it 's  of  no  use.  If  she  does  n't  take  the 
hero,  she  '11  accept  the  earl.  Ah,  me !  To  think  you  're 
still  scheming  to  get  Vievie,  when  all  the  evening  you  've 
pretended  it  was  I !  " 

In  the  reaction  from  his  fright,  he  sprang  up  and  ad- 
vanced on  her  ardently.  "  It  is  you,  Dodie !  you  know 
it  is.  Own  up,  now  —  we're  just  suited  to  each  other. 
It 's  a  case  of  soul-mates !  " 

"  Oh,  is  it,  really  ?  "  she  gushed.  He  sought  to  kiss 
her,  but  she  eluded  him  coquettishly.  "  Wait,  please. 
We  must  first  settle  the  question.  If  it 's  a  case, of  soul- 
mates,  who  's  to  be  the  captain  ?  " 

"  See  here,  Dodie,"  he  admonished ;   "  we  've   fooled 


A     PACKING    CASE  301 

long  enough.  I  'm  in  earnest.  You  don't  seem  to  real- 
ize this  is  a  serious  proposal." 

"  Really  ?  "  she  mocked.  "  A  formal  declaration  of 
your  most  honorable  intentions  to  make  me  Mrs.  L. 
Brice-Ashton  ?  " 

"  Of  course !     You  don't  take  it  for  a  joke,  do  you?  " 

She  smiled  upon  him  with  tantalizing  sweetness. 
"  Is  n't  it?  Well,  it  may  not  be.  But  how  about  your- 
self? " 

"  Dolores,"  he  warned,  "  unless  you  wish  me  to  with- 
draw my  — " 

"  Your  solemn  suit !  "  she  cut  in.  *'  With  that  and 
the  case  you  mentioned,  the  matter  is  complete.  A  suit 
and  a  case  make  a  suitcase.  You  have  my  permission  to 
pack." 

"  Dodie !     You  can't  mean  it !  ** 

"Can't  I?  You  may  pack  yourself  off  and  get  a 
tailor  to  press  your  suit.  He  can  do  it  better.  Run 
along  now.  I  'm  going  to  make  up  to  Mr.  Blake 
for  that  waltz  of  yours  that  he  would  n't  let  me  give  to 
him." 

"  You  flirt !  "  cried  Ashton,  flushing  crimson.  "  I  be- 
lieve your  heart  is  made  of  petrified  wood." 

"  Then  don't  ask  me  to  throw  it  at  you.  It  might 
hurt  your  soft  head." 

"  Dolores !  "  he  warned  her. 

"Yes,"  she  went  on,  pretending  to  misunderstand 
him.  "Wouldn't  it  be  awful?  —  a  chunk  of  petrified 
wood  plunking  into  a  can  of  woodpulp  1 " 

"  I  wish  you  to  remember,  Miss  Gantry  — "  he  began, 

"  Don't  fret,"  she  impatiently  interrupted.     "  I  '11  not 


802         OUT    OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

forget  *  Miss  Gantry,'  and  I  wish  you  would  n't  so 
often.  '  Dodie,'  *  Dodie,'  *  Dodie,'  all  the  evening. 
It 's  monotonous." 

"  Indeed.  Am  I  to  infer,  Miss  Gantry,  that  you  are 
foolish  enough  to  play  fast  and  loose  with  me?  " 

"  You  're  so  fast,  how  could  I  loose  you?  "  she  punned. 

He  muttered  a  French  oath. 

"  Naughty !  Naughty !  "  she  mocked.  "  Swearing 
in  French,  when  you  know  I  don't  speak  itl  Why  not 
say,  'damn  it*  right  out?  That  would  sound  better." 

"  See  here,  Dodie,"  he  warned.  "  I  've  stood  enough 
of  this.  You  know  you  Ve  just  dying  to  say  '  yes.' 
But  let  me  tell  you,  if  you  permit  this  chance  to  slip 
by—" 

"  Oh,  run  along,  do ! "  she  exclaimed.  "  I  want  to 
think,  and  it 's  impossible  with  you  around." 

"  Think?  "  he  retorted.  "  I  know  better.  What  you 
want  is  a  chance  to  coquet  with  him." 

He  looked  about  at  Blake,  with  a  wry  twist  in  his 
lower  lip. 

"  One  enjoys  conversing  with  a  man  once  in  a  while," 
she  replied,  and  she  turned  from  him  a  glance  of  supreme 
contempt  and  loathing  that  pierced  the  thickness  of  his 
conceit.  Disconcerted  and  confused,  he  beat  a  flurried 
retreat,  jerking  shut  the  door  with  a  violent  slam. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

THE   SHOETEST   WAY 

THE  noise  of  the  door  jarred  Blake  from  his  leth- 
argy.    He  groaned  and  sluggishly  raised  his 
head.     His   face  was  bloodless   and  haggard, 
his  bloodshot  eyes  were  dull  and  bleared.     He  had  the 
look  of  a  man  at  the  close  of  a  drunken  debauch. 

Dolores  hastened  to  him,  exclaiming,  "  Mr.  Blake, 
you  are  ill !  I  shall  phone  for  a  doctor !  " 

"  No,"  he  mumbled  apologetically.  "  Don't  bother 
yourself,  Miss  Dolores.  It 's  not  a  doctor  I  need.  I  'm 
only—" 

"  You  are  ill !  I  '11  call  Genevieve."  She  started  to- 
ward the  door. 

"  Don't !  "  he  cried.  "  Not  her  —  for  God's  sake,  not 
her !  "  He  rose  to  his  feet  heavily  but  steadily.  "  I  'm 
going  —  away." 

"Going  away?  Where?"  asked  Dolores,  puzzled 
and  concerned. 

"  Alaska  —  Panama  —  anywhere !  You  're  the  right 
sort,  Miss  Dolores.  You  '11  explain  to  her  why  I  had  to 
go  without  stopping  to  say  good-bye." 

"  Of  course,  Mr.  Blake  —  anything  I  can  do.  But 
why  are  you  leaving?  " 

"  Your  mother  —  she  told  me." 
809 


304 

"  Told  you  what  ?     I  do  believe  you  're  dreaming." 

Blake  quivered.  "  Wish  it  was  a  nightmare ! "  he 
groaned.  He  steadied  himself  with  an  effort.  "  No 
use,  though.  She  told  me  the  truth  about  —  your 
cousin.  Said  her  feeling  for  me  is  only  gratitude." 

"  What !  Vievie's ?  —  only  gratitude?  Don't  you  be- 
lieve it!  Mamma  is  rooting  for  Jeems.  She  may  be- 
lieve it;  she  probably  does.  She  wants  to  believe  it. 
She  wants  a  countess  in  the  family." 

"  She  could  n't  do  better  in  that  line,  nor  in  any 
other,"  replied  Blake  with  loyal  friendship.  "  Jimmy 
is  all  right ;  he  's  the  real  thing." 

"  Yes,  twenty-four  carats  fine !  " 

"  Don't  joke,  Miss  Dolores.  I  know  you  don't  like 
him,  but  it 's  true,  just  the  same.  I  knocked  around  a 
whole  lot  with  Jimmy,  in  all  sorts  of  places.  I  give  it 
to  you  straight, —  he  's  square,  he  's  white,  and  he  's 
what  all  kinds  of  people  would  call  a  gentleman." 

"  But  as  for  being  a  man  ?  "  she  scoffed. 

Blake's  dull  eyes  brightened  with  a  fond  glow. 

"Man?"  he  repeated.  "  D'  you  think  I'd  fool 
around  with  one  of  these  swell  dudes  ?  No ;  Jimmy  is 
the  real  thing,  and  he  's  a  thoroughbred." 

"  Such  a  cute  little  mustache  1 "  mocked  the  girl. 

"  It 's  one  of  the  few  things  I  could  n't  cure  him  of  — 
that  and  his  monocle."  Forgetful  of  self,  Blake  smiled 
at  her  regretfully  and  shook  his  head.  "  It 's  too  bad, 
Miss  Dolores.  No  use  talking  when  it 's  too  late ;  but 
could  n't  you  have  liked  him  enough  to  forget  the  Eng- 
lish part?  You  and  he  would  sure  have  made  a  team." 

"  Yes,  is  n't  it  too  bad?     A  coronet  would  fit  my  head 


THE     SHORTEST    WAY  305 

just  as  well  as  Vievie's.  But  mamma  is  so  silly.  She 
never  thought  of  that." 

Blake  stared  in  surprise.     "  You  don't  mean  —  ?  " 

"  Mamma  has  been  so  busy  saving  Vievie  from  you, 
she  's  not  had  time  to  consider  me." 

"  Say,"  exclaimed  Blake,  "  I  've  half  a  notion  you  do 
like  him.  That  would  account  for  the  way  you  keep  at 
him  with  your  nagging  and  teasing." 

"  You  don't  say !  " 

"  Yes.  That 's  the  way  one  of  my  sisters  used  to 
treat  me.5* 

"  How  smart  you  are ! "  cried  the  girl,  and  she  faced 
away  from  him  petulantly,  that  he  might  not  see  her 
flaming  cheeks.  "  Oh,  yes,  of  course  I  like  him !  I  'm 
head  over  heels  in  love  with  him  1  How  could  I  help  but 
be?" 

"Some  day  you'll  know  such  things  aren't  joking 
matters,"  he  gravely  reproved  her. 

She  turned  to  him,  unable  longer  to  sustain  her  pre- 
tence. Her  voice  quavered  and  broke :  "  But  it 's  —  it 's 
true !  I  do !  » 

She  bent  over  with  her  face  in  her  hands,  and  her 
slender  form  shook  with  silent  sobs.  He  came  quickly 
around  to  her,  his  eyes  soft  with  commiseration.  "  You 
poor  little  girl !  So  you  lose  out,  too !  " 

She  looked  up  at  him  with  her  tearful  dark  eyes,  and 
clutched  eagerly  at  the  lapel  of  his  coat. 

"  Mr.  Blake !  He  has  told  me  how  resolute  you  are. 
You  must  not  give  up !  I  'm  certain  Vievie  likes  you. 
If  only  mamma  had  n't  meddled !  She  9a  always  messing 
things.  It 's  just  because  she  can't  realize  I  'm  in  long 

20 


S06         OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

frocks.  If  —  if  only  she  had  seen  how  much  grander 
it  would  be  to  make  herself  the  mother-in-law  of  an  earl, 
instead  of  a  mere  aunt-in-lawl  " 

Blake's  face  darkened  morosely.  "  That 's  the  way 
things  are  —  misdeal  all  around.  Your  mother  is  right. 
You  've  lost  out ;  I  've  lost  out.  What 's  the  use  ?  " 

'{  Surely  you  're  not  going  to  give  up  ?  '*  she  de- 
manded. 

"  I  've  never  before  been  called  a  quitter ;  but  — 
sooner  I  get  out  from  between  her  and  Jimmy,  the  bet- 
ter," he  rejoined,  and  turning  on  his  heel,  he  started  to- 
ward the  door  by  which  Ashton  had  left. 

"  But,  Mr.  Blake,"  she  urged,  "  wait.  I  wish  to  tell 
you—" 

'*  No  use,"  he  broke  in,  without  turning  or  stopping. 

She  was  about  to  dart  after  him,  when  the  door 
openeJ,  and  Ashton  entered,  carrying  a  bottle  of  cham- 
pagne and  a  glass.  He  nodded  familiarly  to  Blake  and 
approached  him  with  an  air  of  easy  good-fellowship. 

Bla!:e  saw  only  the  glass  and  the  bottle.  He  glared 
at  them,  his  face  convulsed  with  fierce  craving.  Then 
he  forced  himself  to  avert  his  gaze.  But  as  he  started 
to  turn  aside,  his  jaw  clenched  and  his  eyes  burned  with 
a  sudden  desperate  resolve.  He  stopped  and  waited,  his 
face  as  hard  as  a  granite  mask.  Dolores  did  not  see  his 
expression.  She  was  eying  Ashton,  whom  she  sought  to 
crush  with  her  scorn. 

"Hoi"  she  jeered.  "So  you're  going  to  drown 
your  sorrows  in  the  flowing  bowl.  You  ought  to  've  re- 
membered that  absence  makes  the  heart  grow  fonder," 


THE     SHORTEST     WAY  307 

To  better  show  her  contempt,  she  turned  her  back  on 
him. 

He  instantly  stepped  forward  beside  Blake  and  began 
pouring  out  a  glass  of  the  champagne.  He  smiled 
suavely,  but  his  eyes  narrowed,  and  his  full  lower  lip 
twisted  askew. 

"  Look  here,  Blake,"  he  began,  "  I  know  you  're  on 
the  water-wagon;  but  you  have  it  in  for  me  for  some 
reason,  and  I  want  to  make  it  up  with  you.  Take  a 
glass  of  fizz  with  me." 

Dolores  whirled  about  and  saw  him  with  the  glass  of 
sparkling  wine  outreached  to  Blake,  who  was  eying  it 
with  a  peculiar  oblique  gaze. 

"  Lafayette  Ashton ! "  she  cried.  "  Are  n't  you 
ashamed  of  yourself?  —  aren't  you  ashamed?" 

Ashton  shrugged  cynically,  and  urged  the  wine  on 
Blake.  "  Come  on !  One  glass  would  n't  hurt  a  fly. 
I  Ve  heard  of  your  wonderful  success  with  the  Zariba 
Dam.  I  want  to  congratulate  you." 

"  Congratulate  —  that 's  it !  "  replied  Blake,  in  a 
harsh,  strained  voice.  "  Best  man  wins.  [Loser  gets 
out  of  the  way.  All  right.  I  '11  take  the  short-cut." 

He  reached  out  his  bandaged  right  hand  to  take  the 
glass.  Dolores  darted  toward  him,  crying  out  shrilly 
in  horrified  protest :  "  Stop  1  stop !  Mr.  Blake !  Think 
what  you  're  doing !  " 

"  I  know  what  I  'm  doing,"  he  said  taking  the  glass 
and  facing  her  with  a  smile  that  brought  tears  of  pity 
to  her  eyes.  "  Your  mother  is  right.  I  'm  in  your 
cousin's  way.  I  'm  going  to  get  out  of  her  way,  and 


SOS          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

I  'm  going  to  do  it  in  a  fashion  that  '11  rid  her  of  me 
for  keeps.  Hell  is  nearer  than  Alaska." 

"  Wait !  wait !  "  she  cried,  as  he  raised  the  glass  to  his 
lips.  "  For  her  sake,  don't.  Wait !  " 

"  For  her  sake ! "  he  re j  oined,  still  with  that  heart- 
rending smile.  "  Here 's  to  her  and  to  him  —  con- 
gratulations ! " 

He  tossed  down  the  wine  at  a  swallow  before  she  could 
clutch  his  upraised  arm. 

She  turned  upon  Ashton,  in  a  fury  of  scorn  and 
anger.  "  You  —  you  beast !  " 

"  Why,  what 's  the  matter?  "  he  protested,  feigning 
innocence.  "  What 's  the  harm  in  a  glass  of  fizz  ?  " 

"  You  knew !  "  she  cried,  pressing  upon  him  so  fiercely 
that  he  gave  back.  "  You  knew  what  it  means  for 
him  to  drink  anything  —  a  single  drop!  You  scoun- 
drel!" 

"  There,  now,  Miss  Dolores ! "  soothed  Blake,  patting 
her  on  the  shoulder.  "  What 's  the  use  of  telling  him 
what  he  is?  He  knows  it  as  well  as  we  do.  Anyhow, 
I  did  n't  have  to  take  the  drink.  I  'm  the  only  one  to 
blame." 

"  Oh,  Mr.  Blake!  how  could  you?  How  could  you?  " 
she  cried. 

"  It  was  easy  enough  —  doing  it  for  her,"  he  an- 
swered. 

"  For  her  f     How  can  you  say  it?  " 

"  Well,  it 's  done  now.  Good-bye.  I  'm  not  likely  to 
see  you  again  soon.  It 's  a  long  trip  from  hell  to 
heaven,"  he  explained  with  grim  humor. 

Great  as  was  his  fortitude,  she  caught  a  glimpse  of 


THE     SHORTEST     WAY  309 

the  anguish  behind  his  mask.  But  his  tone,  as  he  swung 
Ashton  around,  repulsed  her.  "  Come  on,  Mephis- 
topheles.  You  've  turned  the  trick.  We  've  less  than 
three  hours  before  daylight.  It's  whiskey  straight 
we  're  after." 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

UGHT    AND    DARKNESS 

NOT  unnaturally  Dolores  failed  to  realize  at 
once  the  utter  ruin  that  Blake  had  brought 
upon  himself  by  overthrowing  the  pillars 
of  his  temple.  She  was  too  intent  upon  her  own 
tragedy.  With  Blake  out  of  the  way,  Lord  James 
would  of  course  have  no  difficulty  in  winning  Genevieve. 
There  was  now  no  hope  for  her. 

She  flung  herself  down  in  a  chair,  with  a  childlike 
wail.  "Why  did  he  do  it?  Oh!  why  did  he  do  it? 
Oh,  Jimmy !  you  '11  never  look  at  me  now !  If  only  I 
could  hurt  mamma !  " 

She  bent  over,  weeping  with  bitter  grief  and  anger. 

She  was  still  sobbing  and  crying  when,  sometime 
later,  Lord  James  slipped  hastily  in  from  the  cardroom. 
He  closed  the  door  swiftly  and  hurried  toward  the 
table,  his  eyes  widening  with  his  attempt  to  see  clearly 
in  the  half  light  of  the  library. 

"  Tom,  old  man !  "  he  called  eagerly.  "  I  'm  now 
free  to  see  you  home.  We  '11  slip  out  the  side  en- 
trance— "  He  stopped  short,  perceiving  that  the  big 
chair  was  empty,  and  that  the  figure  in  the  chair  across 
was  not  a  man's. 

"  Er  —  beg  pardon  I "  he  stammered.  "I  —  er  — 
810 


LIGHT     AND     DARKNESS  811 

expected  to  find  my  friend  here.  Believe  me,  I  would 
not  have  intruded  — " 

"  So  you  d  —  don't  consider  me  a  friend !  "  retorted 
Dolores,  vainly  striving  to  hide  her  grief  under  a  scorn- 
ful tone. 

"  Miss  Gantry ! "  he  exclaimed.     "  Is  it  you?  " 

"  It 's  not  Vievie,  that 's  certain.  The  sooner  you 
run  along  and  mind  your  business,  the  better." 

"  Miss  Dolores,  I  —  I  really  can't  see  why  you  hold 
such  a  dislike  to  me.  I  '11  go  immediately.  I  had  n't 
the  remotest  idea  of  intruding.  You  '11  believe  that  ? 
Only,  y'  know,  I  left  Tom  —  Mr.  Blake  —  in  here. 
I  came  to  go  home  with  him.  He  was  quite  knocked-up. 
He  should  not  have  come  to-night." 

"  You  knew  it !  - —  you  knew  it,  and  left  him  in  here 
alone ! " 

"Why,  what  do  you  mean,  Miss  Dolores?  You 
alarm  me !  I  left  him  asleep  —  fancied  he  'd  not  be 
disturbed  in  here  —  that  an  hour  or  so  of  sleep  would 
freshen  him  up  for  the  drive  home." 

"  So  you  left  him  —  alone  —  for  mamma  and  that 
despicable  creature  to  do  their  worst !  " 

"  Miss  Dolores,  I  —  I  beg  your  pardon,  but  I  quite 
fail  to  take  you.  If  anything  has  happened  to  Tom  — " 

"  Regrets !  What 's  the  good  of  them,  when  it 's  too 
late?" 

"  Too  late?     Surely  you  cannot  mean  that  he —  ?  " 

"  Yes,  the  worst,  the  very  worst, —  and  that  miserable, 
detestable  creature  knew  it  when  he  offered  him  the  wine. 
I  believe  he  brought  it  in  deliberately  to  tempt  him." 


312          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"Wine?  He  drank!  How  long  ago?  Where  is  he 
now?  I  must  try  to  check  him." 

"  If  only  you  could !  But  it 's  too  late.  He  went 
off  with  Laffie." 

"  Not  too  late !  The  craving  has  been  checked  once 
—  I  've  seen  it  done." 

"  But  this  time  it 's  not  the  craving." 

"How's  that?" 

"  It 's  because  he  was  driven  desperate.  He  took  it 
deliberately  —  intentionally." 

"  Impossible !     Tom  would  never  — " 

"  He  would !  He  did !  I  saw  him.  But  don't  you 
blame  him.  She  's  the  one.  How  could  he  know  better, 
in  his  condition  ?  —  utterly  tired  out  1  She  drove  him 
to  it,  I  tell  you." 

"  She  —  Genevieve  ?     I  assure  you  — " 

"  No,  no !  mamma,  of  course !  She  told  him  a  pack 
of  lies  —  took  away  all  his  hope.  She  made  him  think 
that  Vievie  had  never  really  loved  him." 

"  Impossible !  —  unless  your  mother  herself  believes 
it." 

"  Oh,  she  believes  it  —  or  thinks  she  does.  She  's  so 
anxious  —  so  anxious ! "  The  girl  sprang  up  and 
stamped  her  foot.  "  Oh !  I  wish  she  and  her  meddling 
were  in  Hades !  " 

"  My  dear  Miss  Dolores ! "  protested  Lord  James, 
tugging  nervously  at  his  mustache. 

She  whirled  upon  him  in  hysterical  fury.  "  Don't 
you  call  me  that!  Don't  you  dare  call  me  that!  I 
won't  have  it !  I  won't !  I  'm  not  your  dear !  I  tell 
you—" 


LIGHT     AND     DARKNESS  313 

His  look  of  blank  astonishment  checked  her  in  the 
midst. 

"I  — I  — I  didn't  mean—"  she  gasped.  "Oh! 
what  must  you  think  of  me !  " 

She  turned  from  him,  her  face  scarlet  with  shame. 
But  in  the  same  instant  she  remembered  Blake,  and 
forgot  herself  in  the  disaster  to  him. 

"  How  selfish  of  me,  when  he  —  Poor  Mr.  Blake ! 
What  can  be  done  ?  We  must  do  something  —  at 
once ! " 

"  If  anything  can  be  done ! "  said  Lord  James  in  a 
hopeless  tone.  "  You  say  he  took  it  deliberately  ?  " 

"  Yes.  Can't  you  see  ?  Mamma  had  stuffed  him 
with  a  lot  of  rot  about  gratitude  —  about  Vievie  sacri- 
ficing herself  to  him  on  account  of  gratitude.  It 's 
easy  enough  to  guess  mamma's  little  game.  Oh !  it 's 
simply  terrible !  Of  course  he  believed  it,  and  of  course 
he  planned  at  once  to  go  away  —  that 's  the  kind  of 
man  he  is  !  He  planned  to  go  away  —  run  off  — •  so  that 
Vievie  could  n't  sacrifice  herself." 

"My  word!" 

"  And  just  then  Laffie  Ashton  came  back  with  the 
wine.  I  believe  he  did  it  a-purpose  —  that  he  wanted 
to  get  Mr.  Blake  intoxicated ! " 

"  The  unmitigated  cad !  Yet  why  should  he  ?  It 
seems  impossible  that  any  man  — " 

"  How  should  I  know  ?  He  's  vicious  enough  to  do 
anything.  But  what  does  that  matter?  It 's  Mr. 
Blake.  Can't  you  see  why  he  took  it?  He  was  getting 
himself  out  of  the  way.  I  did  n't  understand  then  what 
he  said  —  about  the  bad  place  being  nearer  than  Alaska 


814,          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

—  but  now  I  do.  What  he  was  determined  to  do  was 
to  get  himself  out  of  Vievie's  way  for  good.  The 
quickest  that  he  could  do  it  was  to  start  drinking  — 
go  on  a  spree." 

"Gad!" 

"  And  now  you  stand  here  like  a  dummy,  when  there  's 
a  way  to  save  him." 

"Yes,  yes!  I'll  go  after  him!"  He  started 
alertly  toward  the  door. 

She  sprang  before  him.  "  No !  What  good  would 
that  do  ?  You  know  he  's  set  on  saving  Vievie.  He  '11 
not  listen  to  you." 

"  Gad !  That 's  true.  He 's  hard  enough  to 
handle,  at  best.  With  this  added  —  Yet  I  cannot  but 
make  the  effort.  I  '11  phone  Mr.  Griffith." 

"Griffith?  What's  the  use  of  wasting  time? 
There  's  just  one  person  who  can  save  him,  and  you 
know  it." 

"  No,  unless  Griffith  — " 

"Are  you  absolutely  stupid?  Can't  you  see?  It's 
Vievie  alone  who  — " 

"  Genevieve ! " 

"  Now 's  the  time  for  her  to  do  something.  She 
must  prove  her  love.  That  alone  can  stop  him." 

"  If  she  does  love  him." 

"Can  you  doubt  it?" 

"  She  has  doubted  it." 

"  She  may  think  she  does.  But  it 's  all  due  to 
mamma's  knocking  and  suggesting.  Vievie  loves  him 
as  much  as  he  loves  her.  Need  n't  tell  me !  I  know  all 
about  it.  She  made  him  fail  —  the  time  you  took  him 


LIGHT     AND     DARKNESS  315 

up  to  Michamac.  This  time  it 's  all  mamma's  fault. 
Vievie  has  got  to  save  him !  " 

"  Most  assuredly  it  is  hopeless  unless  she  — " 

"  That 's  no  reason  for  you  to  stand  here  gawking ! 
You  *ve  got  to  go  and  tell  her.  She  would  n't  listen  to 
me ;  but  you  're  a  man  and  his  friend.  You  can  make 
her  see  the  injustice  of  it  all.  She  's  to  blame  as  much 
as  mamma.  This  never  would  have  happened  if  it 
had  n't  been  for  her  shillyshallying." 

Lord  James  paused  before  replying,  his  clear  gray 
eyes  dark  with  doubt  and  indecision. 

"  My  word ! "  he  murmured.  "  Could  I  but  feel  cer- 
tain —  This  second  failure,  in  so  short  a  time !  There 
is  her  future  to  be  considered,  as  well." 

"  Her  future  as  Countess  of  Avondale ! "  scoffed  the 
girl. 

"  No,  I  assure  you,  no !  "  he  insisted.  "  Can  you  be- 
lieve I  could  be  so  low?  —  and  at  such  a  time  as  this! 
It  was  of  the  consequences  to  her  as  well  as  to  him  — 
He  has  failed  again.  Can  he  ever  win  out,  even  should 
he  have  her  aid?  " 

"  You  claim  to  be  his  friend ! " 

"  For  his  sake,  no  less  than  hers  —  Consider  what  it 
would  mean  to  a  man  of  his  nature,  unable  to  check 
himself  in  his  downward  course,  yet  conscious  that  it 
was  wrecking  her  happiness,  possibly  her  life." 

"  It  won't  happen,  not  if  she  really  loves  him.  You 
don't  half  know  him.  He  could  do  anything — any- 
thing!—  if  she  went  to  him  and  asked  him  to  do  it 
for  her  sake." 

"  Could  I  but  be  sure  of  that ! " 


316          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  Pah!  You  pretend  to  be  his  friend.  How  long 
would  you  stand  here  fiddling  and  fussing,  if  you 
did  n't  want  her  yourself?  " 

"  That  —  it  is  too  much ! "  he  said,  his  face  pale  and 
very  quiet.  "  I  had  ventured  to  hope  that  I  might 
overcome  your  dislike.  Now  I  see  that  it  is  as  well 
that  you  have  refused  to  regard  me  other  than  as  you 
have." 

"  Why,  what  do  you  mean  ?  I  —  I  don't  under- 
stand." 

"  You  have  always  been  candid.  Permit  me  to  be 
the  same.  The  truth  is  that  I  had  begun  to  wish  Tom 
success  —  not  alone  because  of  my  friendship  for  him. 
But  now  I  realize  that  his  fight  is  hopeless.  I  shall  do 
my  utmost  to  make  your  cousin  happy." 

Dolores  stared  at  him  with  dilating  eyes.  "  Jimmy  1 " 
she  whispered.  "  It  can't  be  you  mean  that  you  — 
that  you  —  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  he  answered.  "  Pardon  me  for  saying  any- 
thing about  it.  I  shall  not  bother  you  again." 

"  Oh,  thank  you !  "  she  scoffed.  "  So  now  you  're 
going  to  stay  quiet  and  wait  for  Vievie  to  fling  herself 
into  your  arms  when  she  hears  about  your  rival." 

The  young  Englishman  flushed  and  as  suddenly  be- 
came white,  yet  his  voice  was  as  steady  as  it  was  low. 
"  I  shall  do  whatever  she  wishes,  if  she  finds  that  she 
does  not  love  him." 

"  And  that 's  all?  "  she  jeered.  "  You  '11  calmly  keep 
out  of  it  while  he  commits  hara-kiri,  and  then  you  '11 
step  into  his  shoes." 


LIGHT     AND     DARKNESS  317 

"  No.  I  shall  go  to  her  at  once  and  ask  her  to  save 
my  friend  —  if  she  loves  him." 

"  You  will?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  You  will ! "  cried  the  girl,  her  cheeks  flushing  and 
her  black  eyes  sparkling  with  delight  — "  You  will ! 
Oh,  Jimmy ! " 

Even  as  the  words  left  her  lips,  she  became  conscious 
of  what  she  had  done,  and  her  flush  brightened  into  a 
vivid  scarlet  blush.  She  turned  and  fled  from  him, 
panic-stricken. 

He  stood  dazed,  unable  at  first  to  believe  what  her 
tone  and  look  had  betrayed  to  him.  When,  after  some 
moments,  his  doubt  gave  way  to  certainty,  his  face 
lighted  with  what  might  be  termed  joyous  exasperation. 

"  My  word !  "  he  murmured.  "  The  little  witch  I  I  '11 
pay  her  out  j  oily  well  for  it  all !  " 

But  his  blissfully  exultant  vexation  was  no  more  than 
a  flash  that  deepened  the  gloom  with  which  he  recalled 
the  disaster  to  his  friend. 

"  Gad !  "  he  reproached  himself.  "  What  am  I  think- 
ing of  —  with  her  and  Tom  — " 

He  turned  quickly  to  the  door  of  the  cardroom. 


CHAPTER  XXX 

THE    END    OF    DOUBT 

WHEN   the   Englishman   entered  the   card- 
room,  the  last  of  the  players  to   linger 
at  their  table  had  risen  and  were  taking 
their  leave  of  Genevieve.     Her  father  and  aunt  were 
disputing  over  their  last  game.     But  at  sight  of  the 
newcomer,  Mrs.  Gantry  bowed  and  beckoned  to  him,  in- 
stantly forgetful  of  her  argument. 

"  You  are  always  in  time,  Earl,"  she  remarked.  "  We 
are  just  about  to  leave.  May  I  ask  if  you  have  seen 
Dolores?" 

"  Not  a  moment  ago.  I  daresay  she  has  gone  for  her 
wraps." 

"  Huh !  Ran  off  from  you,  eh  ? "  bantered  Mr. 
Leslie.  "  She  's  a  coltish  kitten.  Did  n't  scratch,  did 
she?" 

"  She  misses  no  opportunity  for  that,  the  hoyden  1 " 
put  in  Mrs.  Gantry.  "  Ah,  Earl,  we  are  the  last."  She 
rose  and  went  to  meet  Genevieve,  who  was  coming  to 
them  from  the  farther  door.  "  My  dear  girl,  I  con- 
gratulate you !  It  has  been  a  grand  success !  " 

"  Thank  you,  Aunt  Amice,"  replied  Genevieve  in 
rather  a  listless  tone.  "  Must  you  be  going?  " 

"  Lord  Avondale  has  just  come  in  to  let  me  know 
that  it  is  time." 

818 


THE     END     OF     DOUBT  319 

"  Er  —  beg  pardon,"  said  Lord  James.  "  I  wish  to 
speak  with  Miss  Leslie  before  going." 

"  Ah,  in  that  case,"  murmured  Mrs.  Gantry,  with 
a  gratified  smile,  "  you  are  excused,  of  course !  Her- 
bert, you  may  see  me  out." 

Mr.  Leslie  looked  from  Lord  James  to  his  daughter 
doubtfully.  But  the  Englishman  was  fingering  a  pack 
of  cards  with  seeming  nonchalance,  and  Genevieve  met 
her  father's  glance  with  a  quiet  smile.  He  shook  his 
head,  and  went  out  with  Mrs.  Gantry. 

As  they  left  the  room,  Lord  James  faced  Genevieve 
with  a  sudden  tensity  that  compelled  her  attention. 

"What  is  it?"  she  asked,  half  startled  by  his 
manner.  "  You  said  you  wished  to  speak  with  me?  " 

"  If  you  '11  be  so  kind  as  to  come  into  the  library. 
It 's  a  most  serious  matter.  There  '11  be  less  chance 
of  interruptions." 

She  permitted  him  to  lead  her  in  to  her  former  seat 
at  the  library  table.  He  took  the  big  chair  across 
from  her. 

"  You  look  so  grave,"  she  said.  "  Please  tell  me 
what  it  is." 

"  Directly.  Yet  first  I  ask  you  to  prepare  your- 
self. Something  has  happened  —  most  unfortunate !  " 

She  bent  toward  him,  startled  out  of  her  fatigue  and 
lassitude.  "  You  alarm  me !  " 

"  I  cannot  help  it,"  he  replied.  "  Genevieve,  mat- 
ters have  come  to  an  unexpected  crisis.  There  can 
be  no  more  delay.  I  must  ask  you  to  make  your  de- 
cision now.  Do  you  love  Tom?  " 


320          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  You  have  no  right  to  ask  that.  I  did  not 
give  you  the  right.  You  said  you  would  wait." 

"  I  am  not  asking  for  myself,"  he  insisted.  "  It 
is  for  him.  He  has  the  right  to  know." 

"  The  right?  How?  "  she  asked,  with  growing  agita- 
tion. "  I  do  not  understand.  You  spoke  of  some  mis- 
fortune. Has  papa  —  ?  " 

"  Quite  the  contrary.  Yet  Tom  is  in  a  very  bad 
way,  and  unless  you — " 

"Tom  ill  — ill?"  she  cried.  "And  I  did  not  rea- 
lize it !  That  I  should  have  been  angered  —  should 
have  left  him  —  because  I  thought  he  was  in  a  rage 
—  and  all  the  time  it  was  because  of  his  suffering,  his 
illness !  It  was  despicable  of  me  —  selfish !  Oh,  Tom, 
Tom !  " 

She  covered  her  face  with  her  hands,  and  bent  over, 
quivering  with  silent  grief  and  penitence. 

"  You  have  answered  me,"  said  Lord  James,  regard- 
ing her  with  grave  sympathy.  "  You  love  him." 

She  looked  up  at  him,  dry-eyed,  her  face  drawn 
with  anxiety.  "  Where  is  he?  Why  are  n't  you  with 
him?  He  has  a  doctor?  He  must  have  the  best!" 

"  That  rests  with  you,  Genevieve,"  he  replied. 
"  There  is  one  person  alone  who  can  save  him  —  if 
she  loves  him  enough  to  try." 

The  truth  flashed  upon  her.  She  stared  at  him,  her 
eyes  dilating  with  horror.  "  It  is  that  you  mean !  He 
has  failed  —  again !  " 

He  sought  to  ease  her  despair.  "  Believe  me,  it 
is  not  yet  too  late  —  Permit  me  to  explain." 

"  Explain?  "  she  asked.     "  What  is  there  to  explain? 


THE     END     OF     DOUBT  321 

He  has  failed ! "  Her  voice  broke  in  a  sob  of  un- 
controllable grief.  "  I  tried  to  forget,  still  hoping 
he  was  strong  —  that  he  would  prove  himself  strong. 
How  I  have  hoped  and  prayed  —  and  now !  " 

She  bent  over,  with  her  face  on  the  table,  in  a  vain 
effort  to  conceal  and  repress  her  grief. 

Lord  James  leaned  forward,  eagerly  insistent. 
"  You  must  listen  to  me.  He  has  not  had  fair  play. 
Such  a  gallant  fight  as  he  was  making!  I  believe  he 
would  have  won,  I  really  believe  he  would  have  won, 
had  it  not  been  for  that  woman." 

"  What  woman  ?  "  asked  Genevieve,  half  lifting  her 
head. 

"  Pardon  me,"  he  replied.  "  But  your  aunt  —  It 
was  most  uncalled  for,  most  unfair.  It  seems  she 
sought  him  out  —  to-night,  of  all  times !  —  when  he  was 
pegged  — •  completely  knocked-up.  You  have  seen 
that  yourself.  This  was  after  we  deserted  him." 

**  Deserted  ?     Yes,  that  is  the  word  —  deserted !  " 

"  At  the  moment  when  he  tasted  the  wine,  quite  un- 
aware of  what  he  was  doing.  We  deserted  him  at  the 
time  when  he  had  utmost  need  of  us.  What  clearer 
proof  of  his  great  strength  than  that  he  fought  off 
the  temptation  ?  " 

"  Yet  now  you  say  —  ?  " 

"  He  fought  it  off  then.  He  proved  himself  as 
strong  as  even  you  could  desire.  When  I  hastened  in 
I  found  him  still  where  I  am  sitting,  but  doubled  over, 
utterly  spent  —  asleep,  poor  chap.  His  hand  was 
bleeding.  He  had  shattered  your  —  he  had  crushed  one 
of  the  glasses  with  his  fist." 


322          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  Crushed  a  glass  !     But  why?  " 

"  To  prevent  himself  from  drinking  what  was  in  it. 
Can't  you  see?  The  struggle  must  have  been  fright- 
ful; yet  he  won.  Had  I  but  foreseen!  I  fancied  he 
would  be  undisturbed  in  here  —  would  get  a  bit  of  re- 
freshing sleep  to  pull  him  up.  But  your  aunt  came 
in.  She  took  her  opportunity  —  convinced  him  that 
you  did  not  love  him;  that  your  feeling  was  only 
gratitude." 

Genevieve  bent  over,  with  renewed  despair.  "  And 
for  that  he  gave  up  the  fight ! " 

"  He  fought  and  won  when  we  left  him,  when  we 
deserted  him  in  his  need.  It  was  only  after  your  aunt 
had  convinced  him  that  you  did  not — " 

"  He  foresaw  that  he  would  lose !  "  she  cried.  "  He 
foresaw !  But  I  —  I  could  not  believe  it  possible !  " 

"  But  you  do  not  understand.  It  was  not  that  he 
really  lost.  He  did  not  give  way  because  of  weak- 
ness. He  did  it  deliberately  — " 

"  Deliberately  ?  "  she  gasped.  Surprise  gave  place 
to  an  outflashing  of  scorn.  "  Deliberately !  Oh,  that 
he  could  do  such  a  thing  —  deliberately !  " 

"  No,  no !  I  must  insist.  To  cut  himself  off  from 
you,  that  was  his  purpose.  He  thought  to  save  you 
from  sacrificing  yourself.  However  mistaken  he  was, 
you  must  see  how  high  a  motive  —  how  magnanimous 
was  his  intention." 

But  the  girl  was  on  the  verge  of  hysteria,  and  quite 
beyond  reason.  "  You  may  believe  it  —  I  don't  I  I 
can't !  He  's  weak  —  utterly  weak !  " 


THE     END     OF     DOUBT  323 

"  Genevieve,  no !  There  's  still  time  to  save  him.  A 
word  from  you,  if  you  love  him." 

"  Love  him ! "  she  cried,  almost  beside  herself. 
"How  can  I  love  him?  He  did  it  deliberately!  I  de- 
spise him  1 " 

"  You  are  vexed  —  angry.  Pray  calm  yourself.  I 
remember  what  you  had  to  say  about  him,  there  on  the 
steamer,  coming  up  from  Aden.  You  loved  him  then." 

"  But  now —     Oh,  how  could  he?     How  could  he?" 

The  Englishman  failed  to  understand  the  real  cause 
of  her  half-frenzied  anger  and  despair  —  the  thought 
that  Blake  had  ruined  himself  deliberately.  "  But  don't 
you  see  it  was  not  weakness?  He  proved  it  when  he 
shattered  the  glass.  His  hand  was  cut  and  bleeding. 
He  has  proved  that  he  can  master  that  craving.  I  've 
sought  to  explain  how  it  was.  It  is  not  yet  too  late. 
A  word  from  you  would  save  him,  a  single  word !  " 

"  No.  It  is  too  late.  I  can't  see  it  as  you  do.  It 
was  weakness  —  weakness !  I  cannot  believe  otherwise." 

"Yet  — if  you  love  him?" 

"  James,  it  is  generous  of  you  —  noble !  —  when  you 
yourself  — " 

"  That 's  quite  out  of  it  now.  It 's  of  him  I  am 
thinking,  and  of  you." 

"  Never  of  yourself ! "  she  murmured.  She  looked 
down  for  a  short  moment.  When  she  again  raised  her 
eyes,  she  had  regained  her  usual  quiet  composure.  She 
spoke  seriously  and  with  a  degree  of  formality :  "  Lord 
Avondale,  when  you  honored  me  with  your  offer,  you 
asked  me  to  wait  before  giving  you  a  final  answer." 


324          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

He  was  completely  taken  unawares.  "I  —  I  —  To 
be  sure.  But  I  cannot  permit  you —  Your  happi- 
ness is  my  first  consideration." 

"  It  is  that  disregard  of  self,  that  generosity,  which 
enables  me  to  speak.  As  I  told  you,  I  can  now  give 
you  no  more  than  the  utmost  of  my  esteem  and  affection. 
But  if  you  are  willing  to  take  that  as  a  beginning, 
perhaps,  later  on,  I  may  be  able  to  return  your  love 
as  you  deserve." 

"  But  you  —  I  do  not  know  how  to  say  it  —  In 
justice  to  yourself,  no  less  than  to  him,  you  should 
make  sure." 

"  I  have  never  been  more  sure,"  she  replied.  "  You 
have  been  most  generous  and  patient.  It  is  not  right 
or  considerate  for  me  to  longer  delay  my  decision." 

"  Er  — •  very  good  of  you,  very  !  "  he  murmured,  gaz- 
ing down  at  his  interlocked  fingers.  "  Yet  —  if  you 
would  care  to  wait  —  to  make  sure,  y'  know." 

"  But  why  should  I  wait?  No,  James,  I  am  clear 
in  what  I  am  doing.  I  know  that  I  can  trust  you  ab- 
solutely." 

Lord  James  slowly  raised  his  head  and  met  her 
gaze,  too  intent  upon  repressing  the  stress  of  his  emo- 
tions to  perceive  the  big  fur-clad  form  that  stood  rigid 
in  the  doorway  beyond  Genevieve. 

"  Miss  Leslie,"  he  said,  speaking  in  the  same  formal 
and  serious  tone  that  she  had  used  in  giving  her  de- 
cision, "  I  am  then  to  understand  that  you  accept  my 
proposal  —  you  will  marry  me  ?  " 

"  Within  the  year,  if  you  desire,"  she  responded, 
without  any  sign  of  hesitancy. 


THE     END     OF     DOUBT  325 

"  It 's  very  good  of  you ! "  he  replied.  "  I  shall 
devote  myself  to  your  happiness." 

If  his  voice  lacked  the  joyful  ring  and  his  look 
the  ardent  delight  of  a  successful  lover,  she  failed  to 
heed  it.  He  rose  and  bent  over  the  table  with  grave 
gallantry  to  kiss  the  hand  that  she  held  out  to  him. 

"  'Gratulations ! "  said  a  harsh  voice,  seemingly  al- 
most in  their  ears. 

They  looked  up,  startled.  Blake  stood  close  to  them, 
at  the  end  of  the  table,  with  his  soft  hat  in  his  half- 
raised  left  hand,  and  his  shaggy  fur  coat  hanging  limp 
from  his  bowed  shoulders.  He  stood  with  perfect  steadi- 
ness. Only  in  the  fixed  stare  of  his  bloodshot  eyes  and 
the  twitching  of  the  muscles  in  his  gray-white  face 
could  they  perceive  the  mental  stress  and  excitement 
under  which  he  was  laboring. 

"  Tom !  "  stammered  the  Englishman.     "  You  here !  " 

"  Could  n't  get  Ashton  started,"  replied  Blake.  His 
voice  was  hoarse  and  rasping  but  not  thick.  Though 
he  spoke  slowly,  his  enunciation  was  distinct.  "  His 
man  just  carried  him  out.  I've  been  waiting  to  slip 
out,  unseen,  this  way.  I  ask  you  to  excuse  me. 
Long  's  I  'm  here,  I  '11  make  the  best  of  it  I  can.  Con- 
gratulations to  you !  Best  man  wins  !  " 

While  he  was  speaking,  Genevieve  had  drawn  her  hand 
out  of  the  unconscious  clasp  of  Lord  James  and  slowly 
risen  from  her  chair.  Her  face  was  as  white  as  Blake's ; 
her  eyes  were  wide  with  fear  and  pity  and  horror. 

"You!  —  how  could  you  do  it?"  she  gasped. 
"  When  I  had  given  you  the  second  chance  —  to  fail 
again!"  The  sight  of  his  powerful  jaw,  clenched  and 


326          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

resolute,  stung  her  into  an  outburst  of  angry  scorn. 
"  Fail,  fail !  always  fail !  yet  with  that  look  of  strength ! 
To  come  here  with  that  look,  after  failing  again  so 
utterly,  miserably  —  in  my  house !  You  coward !  " 

"  That 's  it,"  assented  Blake  in  a  dead  monotone. 
"  Only  pity  is  you  could  n't  see  it  sooner.  But  you 
know  me  now.  Ought  to  've  known  me  from  the  first. 
I  did  n't  get  drunk  there  in  Mozambique  'cause  I  had  n't 
the  stuff.  You  might  have  known  that.  But  now  it 's 
settled.  I  've  proved  myself  a  brute  and  a  fizzle  — 
been  proving  it  ever  since  Ashton  got  a  bottle  and 
showed  me  into  a  little  room.  We  've  been  guzzling 
whiskey  in  there  ever  since.  His  man  took  him  out 
dead  drunk.  So  far  I  'm  only  — " 

"  Tom ! "  broke  in  Lord  James.  "  No  more  of  that ! 
Tell  the  truth  —  tell  her  why  you  did  it !  " 

"  Tell  her  —  when  she  's  guessed  already.  But  if 
you  say  so,  Jimmy  —  It 's  the  first  time  I  ever  owned 
up  I  'm  a  quitter.  Great  j  oke  that,  when  all  my  life 
I  have  n't  been  anything  else, —  hobo,  fizzle,  quitter, 
bum—" 

"  Gad !  Not  that  drivel !  If  you  can't  explain  to 
her,  then  keep  silent." 

"  No,  I  don't  keep  silent  till  I  've  had  my  say,"  re- 
joined Blake  morosely.  "Needn't  think  I  don't  know 
just  what  I  'm  saying  and  what  I  'm  doing."  His 
voice  harshened  and  broke  with  a  despair  that  was  all 
the  more  terrible  for  the  deadness  of  his  tone.  "  God ! 
That 's  why  the  whiskey  won't  work.  I  've  poured  it 
down  like  water,  but  it 's  no  use  —  it  won't  work !  I 
can't  forget  I  've  lost  out !  " 


THE     END     OF     DOUBT  327 

Genevieve  leaned  toward  him,  half  frenzied,  her 
face  crimson  and  her  gentle  eyes  ablaze  with  scorn. 
"  And  you  —  you !  —  claiming  to  be  sober  —  come  in 
here  and  say  that  to  me !  —  that  you  've  deliberately 
sought  to  intoxicate  yourself  in  my  house  —  in  my 
house !  You  have  n't  even  the  decency  to  go  away  to 
do  it !  You  must  flaunt  your  shame  in  my  face !  " 

"  I  told  you  I  meant  to  slip  out  unseen,"  he  mumbled, 
for  the  moment  weakening  in  his  determination  to  vilify 
himself.  "  Did  n't  think  you  'd  give  me  the  gaff  —  when 
it  was  all  for  you." 

"  For  me !  "  she  cried,  in  a  storm  of  hysteria  — "  for 
me !  Oh !  To  destroy  all  my  love  for  you  —  my  trust 
in  the  courage,  the  strength,  the  heroism  I  thought  was 
yours !  Oh !  And  to  prove  yourself  a  brute,  a  mere 
brute !  —  here  in  my  own  house !  —  my  guest !  Oh !  oh ! 
I  hate  you !  I  hate  you !  " 

She  flung  herself,  gasping  and  quivering,  into  her 
chair,  in  a  desperate  effort  to  regain  self-control. 

Blake  bent  over  her  and  murmured  with  profound 
tenderness :  "  There,  there,  little  girl !  Don't  take  on 
so !  I  ought  to  've  cleared  out  right  at  first  —  that 's 
a  fact.  But  I  did  n't  mean  to  bother  you.  Just 
blundered  in.  But  I  'm  glad  to  know  you  've  found  out 
the  truth.  Long 's  you  know  for  sure  that  you  hate 
me,  't  won't  take  you  long  to  feel  right  toward  him. 
He  's  all  I  'm  not.  Mighty  glad  you  're  going  to  be 
happy.  Good-bye ! " 

Genevieve  had  become  very  still.  But  she  neither 
looked  up  at  him  nor  spoke  when  he  stopped.  He 
turned  steadily  about  and  started  toward  the  door  of 


328          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

the  cardroom.  Lord  James  thrust  back  the  heavy  chair 
and  sprang  to  place  himself  before  his  friend. 

"Wait,  Tom!"  he  demanded.  "Can't  you  see? 
She 's  overcome.  Good  God !  You  can't  go  off  this 
way!  You  must  wait  and  tell  her  the  truth  —  how  it 
happened  —  why  you  did  it !  " 

Blake  looked  at  him  quietly  and  spoke  in  a  tone 
of  gentle  warning,  as  one  speaks  to  a  young  child: 
"  Now,  now,  Jimmy  boy,  get  out  of  my  way.  Don't 
pester  me.  Just  think  how  easily  I  could  smash  you 
—  and  I  'm  not  so  far  from  it.  Stand  clear,  now." 

"  No !     In  justice  to  yourself  —  to  her !  " 

"  That 's  all  settled.     Let  me  by." 

He  stepped  to  one  side,  but  Lord  James  again  in- 
terfered. "  No,  Tom,  not  till  you  've  told  her !  You 
shall  not  go !  " 

The  Englishman  stood  resolute.  Blake  shook  his 
head  slowly,  and  spoke  in  a  tone  of  keen  regret: 
"  Sorry,  Jimmy ;  but  if  you  will  have  it ! " 

His  bandaged  right  fist  drove  out  and  struck  squarely 
on  the  point  of  his  friend's  jaw.  His  nerves  of  sen- 
sation were  so  blunted  by  the  liquor  he  had  drunk  that 
he  struck  far  harder  than  he  intended.  Lord  James 
dropped  without  a  groan,  and  lay  stunned.  Blake 
stared  down  at  him,  and  then  slowly  swung  around  to 
look  at  Genevieve. 

She  had  risen  and  stood  with  her  hands  clutching 
the  edge  of  the  table.  Her  face  was  distorted  with 
horror  and  loathing. 

"  You  coward !  —  you  murderer !  "  she  gasped. 

"  Yes,  that 's   it,"   he  assented  — "  brute,   drunkard, 


THE     END     OF     DOUBT  329 

coward,  murderer  —  all  go  together.  You  're  right  to 
hate  me!  But  you  can't  hate  me  half  as  much  as  I 
hate  myself.  That 's  hell  all  right  —  to  hate  your- 
self." 

Suddenly  he  flung  out  his  arms  toward  her  and  his 
voice  softened  to  passionate  tenderness.  "  God !  but 
it 's  worth  the  price !  —  to  save  you,  Jenny !  I  'd  do  it 
all  over  again,  a  thousand  times,  to  make  you  happy, 
little  girl!" 

She  shrank  back  and  flung  up  her  arm  in  a  gesture 
of  bewilderment,  which  he  mistook  for  fear. 

"  Don't  be  afraid,"  he  reassured.     "  I  'm  going." 

He  turned  hastily,  stooped  to  feel  the  heart  of  the 
unconscious  man,  and  rose  to  swing  across  to  the 
cardroom  door.  He  passed  out  swiftly  and  closed 
the  door  behind  him,  without  pausing  for  a  backward 
glance. 

Genevieve  stared  after  him,  dazed  and  bewildered 
by  her  half  realization  of  the  truth.  The  door  had 
closed  between  them  —  what  seemed  to  her  an  age  had 
passed  —  when  the  full  realization  of  what  he  had  done 
flashed  in  upon  her  clouded  brain  like  a  ray  of  glaring 
white  light. 

She  flung  out  her  arms  and  cried  entreatingly : 
"  Tom !  Tom  —  dearest !  " 

She  tried  to  dart  around  the  table,  but  swayed  and 
tottered,  barely  saving  herself  from  the  fall  by  sink- 
ing into  a  chair.  The  heavy,  muffled  clang  of  the 
street  door  came  to  her  as  from  a  vast  distance.  The 
merciful  darkness  closed  over  her. 


CHAPTER  XXXI 

A  BRIDGE  GAME: 

THE  cold  snap  at  Michamac  had  been  broken  for 
nearly  a  month,  and  work  on  the  bridge  was 
progressing  with  unprecedented  rapidity. 

Two  days  after  the  ball,  Ashton  had  returned  to  the 
bridge  sobered  and  chastened.  The  change  in  him  may 
have  been  due  to  another  cut  in  his  allowance,  or  to 
a  peppery  interview  during  which  Mr.  Leslie  had  sought 
to  browbeat  him  into  resigning  his  position. 

Whatever  the  cause  of  his  change  of  heart,  Ashton 
had  so  far  proved  himself  almost  feverishly  eager  to 
establish  a  record.  Griffith,  badly  shaken  by  the  failure 
and  disappearance  of  Blake,  had  been  peremptorily  or- 
dered South  by  his  physician.  Seizing  the  opportunity, 
Ashton,  instead  of  interfering  with  the  work,  as  Mc- 
Graw  expected,  had  astonished  the  phlegmatic  general 
foreman  by  pushing  operations  with  utmost  zeal  and 
energy. 

More  mechanics  and  laborers  had  been  hired,  and  the 
augmented  force  divided  into  three  eight-hour  shifts. 
All  day,  in  sun  or  fog  or  snow,  and  all  night,  under 
the  bluish  glare  of  the  arc-lights,  the  expert  bridge- 
men  toiled  away  upon  the  gaunt  skeleton  of  the  gigantic 
bridge,  far  out  and  above  the  abyss  of  the  strait.  Not 
a  moment  of  the  twenty-four  hours  was  lost. 

8SO 


A     BRIDGE     GAME  331 

But  the  Resident  Engineer's  brief  spurt  of  energy 
had  already  notably  relaxed,  when,  one  sunny  day  near 
the  end  of  March,  a  man  not  a  member  of  the  train 
crew  nor  a  regular  passenger  came  in  on  the  after- 
noon train.  As  he  emerged  from  under  a  coal  car,  one 
of  the  switchmen  stared  at  him  blankly,  swore  a  few 
lurid  oaths,  and  laughed. 

The  brake-rider  had  paid  for  his  ride,  though  not 
in  money.  He  limped  as  he  walked  off,  and  the  gray 
pallor  of  his  unshaven  face  was  grotesquely  shaded 
and  blotched  with  coal  dust.  His  shoddy  clothes  were 
torn  and  mud-stained,  his  soft  hat  begrimed  and  shape- 
less, his  cheap  shoes  too  far  gone  for  repair.  Yet 
for  all  his  shiftless  footwear  and  his  limp,  his  stride 
was  long  and  quick. 

A  watchman  caught  sight  of  him,  and  hurried  after, 
to  warn  him  off  the  grounds.  The  hobo  disappeared 
behind  a  pile  of  girders.  When  the  watchman  turned 
the  corner,  his  quarry  had  disappeared.  He  shook  his 
head  doubtfully  at  the  bridge-service  train,  which  was 
backing  out  along  the  track  before  him  with  a  load  of 
eyebars  and  girders.  There  was  reason  to  believe  that 
the  hobo  had  boarded  it;  but  if  so,  it  was  under  too 
speedy  headway  for  the  rheumatic  watchman  to  follow. 

His  suspicions  were  well  founded.  As  the  train 
clattered  past  the  unlovely  buildings  of  rough  lumber 
and  sheet  iron  clustered  about  the  bridge  terminus,  the 
stranger  clambered  up  between  two  of  the  swaying  cars 
and  perched  himself  upon  the  wheel-like  top  of  the 
handbrake.  Seated  thus,  with  feet  dangling  and  hands 
thrust  carelessly  into  the  pockets  of  his  disreputable 


332          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

coat,  he  gazed  intently  about  at  the  bridge,  regardless 
of  the  bitter  sting  of  the  lake  wind. 

The  train  rattled  out  across  the  shore  span  and  along 
the  anchor  arm  of  the  south  cantilever.  The  break- 
rider  scrutinized  the  immense  webs  and  lofty  towers 
with  the  look  of  a  father  greeting  his  first-born.  The 
train  rolled  on  out  between  the  towers  and  beyond, 
where  swarms  of  carpenters  and  laborers  were  laying 
beams  and  stringers  and  floor  planking  and  piling  up 
immense  stacks  of  material  to  be  used  farther  out.  The 
finishing  gangs  were  following  up  the  steel  workers  as 
fast  as  they  could  be  pushed. 

Beyond  them,  out  near  the  end  of  the  extension-arm, 
the  electro-magnetic  cranes  of  the  huge  main  traveller 
were  sorting  and  shifting  forward  a  great  heap  of 
structural  steel.  The  material  thus  handled  came  within 
the  reach  of  the  smaller  traveller,  which  crouched  upon 
the  top-chords  like  a  skeleton  spider,  swinging  out  the 
steel  as  wanted  to  the  end  of  the  unfinished  suspension 
span. 

At  sight  of  the  great  heaps  of  structural  steel  and 
flooring  material  and  of  the  ponderous  main  traveller 
so  far  out  toward  the  end  of  the  overhang,  the  glow 
in  the  sunken  eyes  of  the  brake-rider  died  out,  and  his 
grimy  brows  gathered  in  a  troubled  frown. 

The  airbrakes  hissed,  the  cars  bumped  and  clanked, 
and  the  train  came  to  a  laborious  stop  with  the  outer- 
most cars  beneath  the  lofty  latticed  framework  of  the 
main  traveller.  At  once  the  electro-magnetic  cranes  be- 
gan to  descend,  ready  to  swing  off  whole  carloads  of 
steel  in  their  magic  monstrous  clutch. 


A     BRIDGE     GAME  333 

The  brake-rider  had  slipped  down  and  was  walk- 
ing rapidly  outward  along  the  narrow  plank  footway. 
As  he  advanced  he  looked  about  him  with  an  anx- 
ious gaze,  but  it  was  at  the  unfloored  substructure  of  the 
bridge,  not  at  the  awesome  spectacle  of  the  swift- 
flowing,  ice-covered  stream  a  hundred  and  fifty  feet 
beneath.  Once  he  paused  and  stooped  over  to  look 
closer  at  a  rivet  head. 

He  hurried  on  to  where,  under  the  smaller  traveller, 
the  uncompleted  south  part  of  the  central,  or  suspension, 
span  poised  dizzily  in  space,  over-arching  the  abyss. 
Many  yards  of  gap  still  yawned  between  its  tip  and 
the  tip  of  the  sections  that  strained  out  to  meet  it 
from  the  end  of  the  north  cantilever. 

The  sections  built  on  to  the  southern  part  of  the 
central  span  had  brought  the  overhang  still  more 
dizzily  out  over  the  broad  strait.  The  wonder  was  that 
men  could  be  found  who  were  willing  to  work  day 
after  day  in  a  position  of  such  real  peril.  Yet  since 
Ashton's  change  of  attitude,  McGraw  had  experienced 
no  difficulty  in  securing  and  holding  enough  and  to 
spare  of  expert  bridge-workers,  who  toiled  and  sweat 
at  their  task  with  seemingly  never  a  thought  of  the 
abyss  that  yawned  beneath  them. 

When  the  brake-rider  left  the  train,  the  men  of  the 
evening  shift,  just  come  on,  were  swarming  about  the 
end  of  the  overhang  like  ants  upon  the  tip  of  a  broken 
twig, —  alert-eyed,  quick-handed,  cool-brained  "  Sons  of 
Martha,"  who,  balanced  unconcernedly  in  mid-air  on 
narrow  stringers,  clenched  fast  the  rivets  in  Death's 
steel  harness.  During  the  lulls  between  the  furiously 


S3*         OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

rattling  volley-blows  of  the  electric  riveting-machines 
they  grumbled  about  the  deterioration  of  smoking  to- 
bacco or  speculated  on  next  season's  baseball  scores. 

With  his  beefy  shoulders  braced  against  the  last  top- 
chord  post,  McGraw  stood  chewing  the  end  of  a  fat 
black  cigar  while  he  watched  the  placing  of  a  bottom- 
chord  of  a  new  sub-panel.  From  the  ox-like  unconcern 
of  his  stolid  face  and  deepset  eyes,  his  interest  in  the 
proceedings  seemed  to  be  of  the  most  casual  nature. 
But  at  the  slightest  gesture  of  his  pudgy  hand,  cranes 
swung  up  and  down,  men  hauled  upon  guy  ropes, 
riveters  moved  alertly  forward  with  their  machines. 

One  of  the  men  caught  McG raw's  eye,  and  jerked  a 
thumb  over  his  shoulder.  The  general  foreman  looked 
about  and  saw  the  grimy  stranger  standing  on  the 
plank  walk  a  few  yards  back.  McGraw  stared,  ru- 
minated, signed  to  a  sub-foreman,  and  walked  stolidly 
back  along  a  string  of  single  planks  to  where  the 
stranger  stood  waiting  for  him. 

The  soft  hat  of  the  brake-rider  was  now  pulled  down 
over  his  eyes,  and  his  chin  was  hidden  in  the  upturned 
collar  of  his  tattered  coat.  As  McGraw  approached 
him,  he  drew  back  out  of  the  deafening  clatter  of  the 
riveting-machines.  McGraw  followed,  his  heavy  face 
of  a  sudden  grown  truculent.  He  came  up  close  to 
the  stranger. 

"  You  dirty  bum ! "  he  threatened.  "  What  you  doin' 
here  ?  Get  t'  hell  outer  here,  or  I  '11  trow  you  over !  " 

The  stranger  pushed  back  his  hat,  and  met  the  other's 
menacing  stare  with  a  grin.  His  pale  blue  eyes  were 
twinkling.  McGraw' s  heavy  jowl  fell  slack. 


vA     BRIDGE     GAME  335 

"  Well,  McGraw  —  thought  you  would  n't  forget  me 
this  soon.  What 's  the  latest  from  Mr.  Griffith?  " 

"  Jacksonville  —  Holy  saints !  you  9ve  sure  been 
lushin'  some,  Mr.  Blake." 

"  Looks  like  it ;  but  as  it  happens  I  have  n't.  Tried 
to  turn  loose,  but  got  switched.  Instead  of  a  spree, 
I  've  been  on  a  bum  —  tour  of  the  Sunny  South." 

"  Bum  ?  "  repeated  McGraw. 

"  Yes.  Needed  a  change.  Too  much  indoors  work ; 
so  I  got  out." 

"  Uh?  "  mumbled  McGraw  in  slow  astonishment. 
"No  booze?" 

"  No.  That 's  the  funny  part  of  it.  Did  n't  touch 
a  drop  of  anything.  I  used  to  be  afraid  of  it  when 
I  was  n't  on  a  tear,  but  now  I  don't  even  think  of  it. 
Seems  as  if  I  could  n't  get  up  a  thirst  if  I  tried.  Can't 
make  it  out." 

"  Sick,"  commented  McGraw. 

"  No.  I  'm  eating  like  a  horse,  and  getting  my 
strength  back,  hand  over  fist." 

"  In  your  head,"  qualified  McGraw,  touching  his  fore- 
head. 

"  Guess  that 's  it.  Must  be.  Never  before  opened 
the  throttle  and  cut  loose,  to  come  to  a  dead  stop  this 
way.  It 's  as  if  you  got  up  a  full  head  of  steam,  and 
then  drew  the  fire.  Mighty  queer,  though, —  my  head 
is  as  clear  as  crystal." 

"  Huh,"  grunted  McGraw  ambiguously.  "  Come  to 
take  your  job  —  assistant?  " 

Blake's  face  darkened.  "No,  just  dropped  by  on 
my  way  to  Canada.  Thought  I'd  have  a  look  at 


336          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

my  — "  he  paused,  and  altered  his  statement  — "  that 
I  'd  see  how  your  old  scrap-heap  is  getting  along." 

"  Huh." 

"  But,  long  as  I  'm  here,  guess  I  '11  take  hold  for  a 
turn  or  two,  just  to  keep  my  hand  in." 

"  Good !     Need  an  engineer." 

"  I  might  as  well  earn  enough  for  railroad  fare. 
This  brake-beaming  and  riding  the  rods  is  n't  as  soft 
a  snap  as  it  used  to  seem  when  I  was  a  kid." 

"  Soft  ?     Y'  look  like  a  second-hand  garbage-can !  " 

"Thanks.     Where's  your  resident  swell?" 

"  Quarters.  Hit  up  the  pace  —  work  —  been  goin' 
some."  McGraw  swept  his  fat  arm  around  in  an  ex- 
planatory gesture.  "  Laid  down  a'ready." 

"  All  right.  I  'm  on  the  job.  But  I  've  got  to  get 
some  sleep  soon.  And  say,  just  pick  out  a  spry  kid 
to  steer  me  up  against  the  wash-house,  will  you?  " 

McGraw  signed  to  the  nearest  man.  "  Pete  —  Mr. 
Blake,  our  'Sistant  Engineer  —  t'  my  room."  He 
turned  to  Blake.  "  Help  y'self.  Safety  razor  'n'  tub 
handy.  Clothes  in  locker.  You  c'n  wear  'em  over  to 
commissary.  Guess  you  c'n  git  into  'em." 

He  nodded,  unaware  that  he  had  said  anything 
humorous,  and  pivoted  around  to  return  to  his  work. 
Blake  limped  briskly  away  after  the  puzzled  but  silent 
Pete.  At  the  bunkhouse  Pete  showed  his  charge  into 
McGraw's  room,  and  went  to  order  hot  water  for  a 
bath. 

When  he  returned,  Blake,  with  half  the  stubble  already 
shorn  from  his  lathered  face,  handed  over  a  telegraph 
message  addressed  to  Griffith. 


A     BRIDGE     GAME  33? 

Eager  to  be  of  service  to  the  Consulting  Engineer, 
then  man  hurried  the  message  to  the  telegraph  operator. 
The  latter,  no  less  friendly  to  Griffith,  corrected  the 
address  to  the  sick  engineer's  hotel  in  Tampa,  and 
wired  the  despatch  "  rush." 

The  message  could  hardly  have  been  more  laconic: 

On  the  job.     Tom. 

When  Pete  returned  for  further  orders,  he  met  the 
Assistant  Engineer  at  the  door  of  the  commissary, 
baggily  draped  in  a  suit  of  McGraw's  clothes,  which 
fitted  nowhere  except  across  the  shoulders. 

Blake  dismissed  him,  and  went  in  to  outfit  himself  with 
a  costume  in  keeping  with  his  position.  Almost  asleep, 
he  then  went  back  to  the  bunkhouse,  stumbling  and 
yawning,  and  stretched  out  in  McGraw's  bed,  utterly 
fagged. 


CHAPTER  XXXII 

IxAFFIE    PLAYS BLAKE    TRUMPS 

AFTER  an  evening  at  poker  with  one  of  the  new 
bridge-workers,  Ashton  had   retired  at  mid- 
night.    He  had  not  heard  of  Blake's  coming, 
for  McGraw  had  presumed  that  the  Assistant  Engineer 
had  reported  to  the  office  before  turning  in  to  sleep. 

When  he  awoke,  the  sun  was  half  way  up  the  eastern 
sky.  He  yawned,  glanced  at  the  sun,  and  rang  for 
his  breakfast.  It  was  presently  brought  in  to  him  by 
his  English  valet,  who,  like  the  chef,  was  not  unused  to 
the  city  social  hours  of  his  employer.  Ashton  did 
not  trouble  to  go  into  his  elegant  little  dining-room, 
but  ordered  the  meal  served  at  his  bedside. 

Sometime  later,  Blake,  over  in  the  bunkhouse,  opened 
his  eyes,  yawned,  and  sprang  out  into  the  middle  of 
McGraw's  unaesthetic  room.  He  had  slept  eighteen 
hours  without  a  break.  He  awoke  still  stiff  and  sore, 
but  brimming  over  with  energy,  and  hungry  as  a  shark. 
He  gave  himself  a  cold  rubdown,  jumped  into  his  new 
clothes,  and  ran  to  the  cookhouse  for  a  hearty  meal. 

When  he  came  out  again,  he  headed  straight  across 
the  tracks  for  the  office  of  the  Resident  Engineer.  He 
smiled  ironically  as  he  noted  the  green  and  white  paint 
and  the  trimmings  of  the  verandahs  with  which  Ashton 

338 


LAFFIE     PLAYS  — BLAKE     TRUMPS      339 

had  endeavored  to  give  a  bungalow  effect  to  the  shack- 
like  structure.  But  as  he  swung  up  the  steps  into  the 
front  verandah,  the  grimness  of  his  look  increased  and 
the  humor  vanished.  His  heavy  tread  through  the 
weather  vestibule  announced  his  entrance  into  the  office. 
He  took  no  pains  to  walk  softly. 

Ashton,  attired  in  a  lounging-robe  of  scarlet  silk, 
was  half  reclining  in  an  easy  chair.  The  big  desk  beside 
him  was  littered  with  engineering  journals,  reports,  and 
blueprints  of  bridge  plans,  topped  with  detail  drawings 
in  ink  of  the  long  central  span.  The  Resident 
Engineer  was  not  studying  the  plans.  He  was  reading 
a  French  novel  of  the  variety  seldom  translated. 

At  Blake's  entrance,  he  looked  up,  his  delicate  high- 
arched  eyebrows  gathered  in  a  frown  of  annoyance. 
Almost  in  the  same  moment  he  recognized  the  intruder, 
and  started  to  his  feet  in  open  alarm. 

"How!  —  why!"  he  stammered.  "You  here?  I 
thought  you  —  that  after  — " 

"  Too  bad,  eh?  "  bantered  Blake.  "  But  you  must  n't 
blame  yourself.  You  did  your  best.  But  accidents  will 
happen." 

"  Then  you  're  —  you  're  not  —     Yet  you  look  — " 

"  Appearances  often  deceive,"  quoted  Blake  lightly. 
"  You  gave  me  a  great  start-off  —  had  me  going  South. 
So  I  went." 

"Going  South?" 

"Yes.  But  that's  all  by-the-bye,  as  my  friend, 
the  Right  Honorable  the  Earl  of  Avondale,  would  say. 
I  'm  here  now  for  you  to  enter  my  acceptance  of  the 
standing  offer  of  the  Assistant  Engineership." 


340          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  You  —  you  agree  to  take  it  —  under  me  ?  "  cried 
Ashton  in  astonishment. 

"  Why  not?  "  asked  Blake  with  well-feigned  surprise. 

"  Why,  of  course  if  —  You  see,  it 's  —  it 's  rather 
unexpected,"  Ashton  sought  to  explain  as  he  regained 
assurance.  "  Old  Griffith  wrote  me  about  the  way  you 
had  put  through  the  Zariba  Dam.  After  that  I  never 
dreamed  you  'd  accept  any  position  as  Assistant." 

"  Well,  I  like  to  please  Grif ,"  was  Blake  's  easy  reply. 
"  He  's  been  worrying  because  office  work  uses  me  up. 
Nothing  suits  me  better  than  an  outdoor  job,  and  I 
happened  to  take  a  fancy  to  your  bridge  the  other 
time  I  came.  It 's  a  good  deal  like  those  plans  of  mine 
that  got  mislaid.  Of  course  you  can't  know  that." 

"  No,  of  course  not ! "  assented  Ashton,  moistening 
his  lower  lip. 

"  Course  not,"  repeated  Blake.  "  So  I  can't  blame 
you  if  you  find  it  hard  to  believe  that  my  plans  would 
have  been  accepted  before  you  drew  yours  if  they  had  n't 
been  mislaid." 

"  Then  you  • —  no  longer  accuse  Mr.  Leslie  of  —  hav- 
ing taken  them?  "  Ashton  ventured  to  ask. 

"  Could  n't  prove  it  on  him,  could  I  ?  No  use  baa-ing 
over  spilt  milk.  Well,  you  understand  I'm  on  the  job 
now ;  I  've  accepted  the  offer." 

"Ye-es,"  reluctantly  admitted  Ashton.  "Not  that 
I  see  the  use.  There  's  no  need  for  another  engineer." 

"  That 's  no  lie.  One  engineer  is  enough,"  said  Blake 
dryly.  "  You  sure  proved  yourself  one  when  you 
planned  this  little  old  cantilever.  However,  I  'm  short 
of  cash.  I  '11  hang  around  and  do  what  I  can.  May 


LAFFIE     PLAYS  — BLAKE     TRUMPS      341 

be  able  to  save  you  bother  by  carrying  orders  out  to 
McGraw  or  checking  over  reports  for  you." 

He  picked  up  the  vellum-cloth  drawings  of  the  central 
span  and  some  of  the  blueprints,  and  began  in  a  matter- 
of-fact  manner  to  roll  them  up. 

"  Hold  on !  "  sharply  interposed  Ashton.  "  What  are 
you  about?  " 

"  I  'm  going  to  bunk  with  McGraw.  Thought  I  'd 
take  these  over  and  tr}^  to  get  in  touch  with  the  work." 

"  No,  you  sha'n't !  I  can't  allow  you  to  take  those. 
They  're  the  original  drawings.  They  must  not  be 
taken  out  of  my  office." 

"  Original  drawings?  "  repeated  Blake  in  a  tone  of 
perfect  innocence.  "  Excuse  me.  I  took  them  for 
copies." 

"  C-copies ! "  stuttered  Ashton,  turning  white  even  to 
his  lips. 

"  Yes.  Has  n't  Grif  the  originals?  "  asked  Blake  in 
a  careless  tone  that  was  barely  touched  with  surprise. 

Ashton  rallied  from  his  fright.  "  No,  you  're  mis- 
taken, completely  mistaken !  These  are  the  originals. 
I  drew  them  myself.  I  couldn't  trust  to  a  draughts- 
man." 

"  Sure  not,  such  important  work  as  this  span  of 
yours.  Grif  tells  me  there  's  never  before  been  anything 
built  like  this  suspension  span,"  agreed  Blake,  bending 
over  to  study  the  drawings.  "  But  you  '11  admit  some 
of  these  figures  are  rather  slipshod  for  work  on  original 
drawings  put  in  to  win  a  competition." 

"  But  I  —  I  did  n't  compete.  The  idea  came  to  me 
too  late  for  that.  I  tried  my  utmost  to  be  in  time  for 


342          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

the  contest.  I  was  working  fast  to  get  my  plans  drawn. 
That 's  why  I  made  some  errors  —  which  you  may 
have  noticed." 

Blake  looked  up  with  an  ironical  smile. 

Ashton  moistened  his  lips,  hesitated,  and  asked  in  an 
uneasy  tone :  "  About  —  about  how  long  do  you  ex- 
pect to  stay  ?  I  suppose  you  will  stay,  won't  you  ?  " 

"  Well,  three  or  four  days,  maybe.  As  you  probably 
know,  Grif  screwed  the  company  up  to  offer  me  a  stiff 
salary  —  on  the  strength  of  that  Zariba  work,  I  suppose. 
I  did  n't  intend  to  take  the  offer  at  all,  -but  my  clothes 
were  —  they  got  rather  out  of  repair  on  my  Southern 
tour,  and  I  came  on  up  here  without  stopping  at  my 
tailor's.  Happened  to  leave  my  checkbook,  too,  and  it 's 
a  long  walk  to  town." 

"  Oh,  if  it 's  only  that  you  're  strapped,"  Ashton 
hastened  to  reply ;  "  I  '11  be  pleased  to  draw  you  a 
check  —  little  loan,  you  know  —  anything  from  a 
hundred  to  a  thousand.  No  hurry  about  paying  it 
back.  I  'm  flush." 

"  You  're  too  kind !  "  said  Blake  dryly. 

"  It 's  nothing  —  nothing  —  a  mere  trifle !  "  assured 
Ashton,  with  a  touch  of  condescension.  "  You  know 
I  '11  have  scads  of  money  to  burn  some  day."  He 
opened  a  drawer  of  his  desk  and  took  out  a  check- 
book. "  I  know  you  can't  be  anxious  to  hang  around 
a  dreary  hole  like  this.  Suppose  I  make  it  five  thou- 
sand? You  can  keep  the  money  as  long  as  you  wish. 
There 's  just  time  for  you  to  catch  the  extra  train 
we  're  sending  down  to  the  junction  for  more  steel." 

"  Thanks.     But   I  need   a   good  rest,"   said   Blake. 


LAFFIE     PLAYS  — BLAKE     TRUMPS      343 

"  I  '11  think  it  over,  and  let  you  know.  Maybe  I  '11 
decide  to  loaf  around  with  you  a  few  days  and  save 
borrowing." 

"  Oh,  well,  if  you  can  stand  this  jumping-off  place," 
replied  Ashton,  visibly  disappointed. 

He  glanced  down  into  the  open  drawer,  and  his  eyes 
narrowed  with  a  look  of  furtive  eagerness  that  did  not 
escape  Blake.  In  a  corner  of  the  drawer  was  a  squat 
black  bottle  and  a  tumbler.  Ashton  lifted  them  out  and 
poured  a  half -glassful  of  whiskey  that  was  thick  and 
oily  with  age. 

"  The  real  stuff ! "  he  said,  holding  out  the  tumbler 
to  Blake.  "  Older  than  your  grandmother.  Let 's  wet 
your  welcome  to  Michamac !  " 

"  Here  's  how ! "  replied  Blake,  with  a  geniality  of 
tone  and  manner  that  diverted  the  other's  attention  from 
the  glint  in  his  eyes.  He  took  the  glass  and  deliberately 
twisted  his  hand  backward  so  that  the  whiskey  poured 
out  on  the  bare  floor  in  front  of  the  desk. 

"  Look  out !     You  're  spilling  it !  "  exclaimed  Ashton. 

"  No,  just  pouring  it,"  explained  Blake.  "  German 
custom.  Next  time  you  're  in  a  beer-garden  do  it,  and 
they  '11  let  you  know  what  it  means." 

"  Means  ?  "  echoed  Ashton. 

"  In  this  case,  it  means  I  never  drink  when  I  'm  on 
A  job.  One  of  my  rules.  Told  you  I  had  accepted  that 
standing  offer,  did  n't  I?  " 

"  Yes.     But  I  did  n't  know  that  you  — " 

"  Well,  you  know  now.     I  'm  on  this  job." 

Ashton  shot  a  covert  glance  at  his  square- jawed  op- 
ponent. 


344          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  Then  it 's  a  mistake  —  the  report  that  you  refused 
to  accept  any  position  from  Mr.  Leslie,"  he  murmured. 

"  Mistake?  No,"  curtly  answered  Blake.  "  Need  n't 
try  to  fool  me.  Mr.  Leslie  turned  the  bridge  over  to 
the  Coville  Company  months  ago." 

"  Fool  you  ?  "  sneered  Ashton.  "  You  're  too  easy  ! 
The  Coville  Company  is  only  another  name  for  Papa 
Leslie." 

"  Look  here,"  warned  Blake.  "  You  're  apt  to  learn 
soon  that  some  lies  are  n't  healthy." 

"  It 's  the  truth,"  replied  Ashton,  giving  back  a  little, 
but  insistent  on  the  facts.  "  It 's  a  way  he  avoids  re- 
sponsibility. But  he  owns  ninety-nine  per  cent  of  the 
stock.  Griffith  must  have  told  you  that.  He  knows 
all  about  it." 

This  obstinate  insistence,  despite  the  young  fellow's 
evident  fear,  convinced  Blake.  He  half  raised  his 
clenched  fist. 

"  And  I  fell  to  it ! "  he  muttered.  "  Let  him  bunco 
me  into  putting  through  that  dam  for  him !  Scheme 
to  make  me  take  his  money ! " 

"  You  as  good  as  put  half  a  million  into  his  pocket," 
jeered  Ashton. 

"What  do  I  care  about  that?"  rejoined  Blake. 
"  It 's  that  fifty  thousand  bonus.  He  '11  be  trying  to 
force  it  on  me." 

Ashton  thought  he  had  misunderstood.  "  Don't  fear 
he  '11  not  pay  up.  He  's  good  pay  when  you  have  it  in 
black  and  white.  There  's  still  time  to  catch  the  train. 
You  '11  find  your  check  waiting  you  at  the  offices  of 
the  company." 


LAFFIE     PLAYS  — BLAKE     TRUMPS      345 

Blake  did  not  reply.  One  of  the  dimensional  figures 
on  a  blueprint  of  the  south  cantilever  had  caught  his 
glance,  and  he  had  bent  over  to  peer  at  it.  A  sudden 
stillness  seemed  to  have  fallen  upon  him. 

After  a  perceptible  pause,  he  asked  in  a  tone  that 
was  very  low  and  quiet  and  deliberate :  "  Would  you 
mind  telling  me  if  this  blueprint  was  made  direct  from 
your  originals  —  from  the  original  drawings  used  in  or- 
dering the  structural  steel?  " 

"  Yes,  of  course,"  answered  Ashton.     "  Why  ?  " 
"  You  are  sure?  " 

"  I  'm  certain.  You  don't  think  I  'd  let  any  one  with 
a  pen  fool  around  my  drawings,  do  you  ?  " 

"  Lord,  no !  Might  correct  your  damn  errors ! " 
cried  Blake,  all  his  stony  calm  fluxing  to  lava  before 
an  outflare  of  volcanic  excitement.  "  You  fool !  — 
Lord !  Wasting  time !  Sit  down  —  scratch  off  an 
order.  That  cantilever  must  be  relieved  P.  D.  Q. — 
every  ounce  skinned  off  it !  " 

"What  —  what's  that?"  asked  Ashton,  staring 
blankly.  He  had  never  before  seen  Blake  agitated. 

"You  fool!"  shouted  Blake.  "You've  got  that 
outer  arm  loaded  down  with  material  'way  beyond  the 
margin  of  safety.  You  damned  fool,  you  made  an 
error  here  in  the  figures  —  over  the  bottom-chords  and 
posts.  They  '11  hold  anything,  once  the  suspension  span 
is  completed,  but  now!  Lord!  McGraw  is  a  mule 
—  he  '11  insist  on  a  written  order.  Weather  report 
says  wind.  And  another  train  loading  to  run  out  on 
the  overhang,  when  we  ought  to  be  hauling  steel  off ! " 
"  Oh,  we  ought,  ought  we?  "  blustered  Ashton,  ven- 


346          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

turing  bravado  in  view  of  Blake's  agitation.  "  Who 
d'  you  think  is  running  this  bridge,  you  barrel-house 
bum  ?  I  '11  give  you  to  understand  I  'm  the  engineer  in 
charge  here.  You  're  my  Assistant  —  my  Assistant ! 
D' you  hear?" 

"  Yes,  yes ! "  urged  Blake.  "  Only  scratch  off  an 
order !  There  's  no  time  to  lose !  I  '11  do  the  work. 
For  God's  sake,  hurry !  You  've  a  hundred  men  out 
there  on  that  deadfall  —  a  million  dollars'  worth  of 
steel-work!  Those  bottom-chords  may  buckle  any 
second ! " 

From  eager  pleading,  Blake  burst  out  in  an  angry 
roar :  "  Damn  you !  Get  busy  !  Write  that  order !  " 

Seized  with  desperate  fear  of  the  big  form  that  leaned 
menacingly  toward  him  over  the  desk,  Ashton  snatched 
an  automatic  pistol  from  the  top  drawer,  and  thrust  it 
out  toward  Blake. 

"  Stand  back !  Stand  back !  Keep  away !  "  he  cried 
shrilly. 

Blake  hastily  stepped  back.  It  was  not  the  first  time 
he  had  seen  a  panic-stricken  fool  with  a  pistol.  The 
quick  retreat  instantly  restored  Ashton's  assurance.  He 
rebounded  from  fear  to  contempt. 

"You  big  bluff!"  he  jeered.  "Good  thing  you 
hopped  lively.  I  '11  show  you  1  Thought  I  was  n't 
armed,  did  you?  " 

"You  doughhead!"  rejoined  Blake.  "Can't  you 
understand?  I  tell  you  that  bridge — " 

"  Bah!  You  knocker !  I  see  your  game.  You  know 
now  that  it's  Papa  Leslie's  job;  you  want  to  get  in 
charge  —  knock  out  my  work  —  spoil  the  record  I  'm 


LAFFIE     PLAYS  — BLAKE     TRUMPS      347 

making.  That 's  it !  You  think  you  '11  get  my  place, 
and  try  to  smooth  things  up  with  Genevieve." 

"  Shut  up ! "  commanded  Blake,  raising  his  fist. 

Ashton  hastily  sighted  the  pistol,  which  he  had  half 
lowered.  "  You  —  you  —  don't  you  threaten  me !  I  '11 
shoot !  "  As  Blake  made  no  attempt  to  attack,  he  went 
on  viciously :  "  You  'd  better  not !  I  '11  show  you ! 
I  'm  the  boss  here  —  get  out  of  here !  You  're  fired ! 
Get  out ;  keep  off  my  bridge ;  leave  the  grounds,  or  I  '11 
have  you  kicked  off !  " 

"  You  fool ! "  said  Blake.  He  swung  around  and 
started  off  with  stern  determination.  But  within  three 
strides  he  faced  about  again.  "  You  dotty  fool !  I 
had  intended  to  let  you  down  easy." 

He  came  back  toward  the  desk,  grim-faced  and  very 
quiet.  Ashton  was  puzzled  and  disconcerted  by  this 
sudden  change  of  front.  The  pistol  wavered  in  his 
trembling  hand. 

"  Keep  away !  Don't  you  touch  me !  Don't  you 
come  near  me !  "  he  half  whimpered. 

Blake  advanced  to  the  opposite  side  of  the  desk,  and 
spoke  in  a  tone  of  cool  raillery :  "  You  're  rattled. 
Better  put  up  that  gun.  It  might  go  off." 

"  It  will  in  half  a  second !  "  snapped  Ashton. 

Blake  leaned  forward  and  transfixed  him  with  a  stare 
of  cold  contempt. 

"  You  thief ! "  he  said.  "  Your  game  is  up.  You 
sneak  thief ! " 

Ashton  lowered  his  pistol  and  cowered  as  though  Blake 
had  struck  him.  "  No,  no !  I  'm  not  —  I  'm  not ! 
You  have  n't  any  proof  —  you  can't  prove  it !  " 


848          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  Proof?  "  growled  Blake.  "  When  I  've  known  it 
ever  since  I  came  up  before  —  knew  it  the  first  look. 
My  bridge  from  shoe  to  peak  —  every  girder,  every 
rivet  —  and  my  truss !  Not  another  bridge  in  the  world 
has  that  truss.  You  dirty  sneak  thief!  —  Huh!  you 
would,  would  you?  " 

Ashton  had  sought  to  raise  and  aim  the  pistol.  This 
time  Blake  did  not  step  back.  Instead,  he  flung  himself 
forward,  and  his  hand  closed  in  an  iron  grip  on  the  wrist 
of  the  hand  that  held  the  pistol.  The  weapon  fell  from 
the  paralyzed  fingers. 

Ashton  made  a  frantic  clutch  with  his  left  hand  to 
regain  the  pistol,  but  he  was  jerked  violently  forward, 
up  and  over  the  desk.  As  he  floundered  across  in  a 
flurry  of  rustling,  tearing  maps  and  papers,  he  swore 
in  shrill  anger.  Blake's  left  hand  gripped  his  throat. 
His  anger  gave  place  to  terror.  He  sought  to  scream, 
but  the  fingers  tightened  and  throttled  him.  He  was 
dragged  across  and  down  upon  the  floor,  choking  and 
gurgling.  Blake  bent  lower. 

"  Lie  still !  "  he  ordered.  "  I  'm  going  to  let  go  your 
throat.  If  you  squawk,  I  '11  break  your  neck  !  " 

He  removed  his  grip  alike  of  wrist  and  throat,  and 
Ashton,  gasping  and  panting,  felt  gingerly  of  his  throat 
with  his  soft  fingers.  He  could  not  see  the  dark  marks 
left  by  Blake's  terrible  clutch,  but  he  could  feel  the 
bruises.  He  glared  up,  terror-stricken,  into  the  pale 
hard  eyes  that  blazed  down  into  his  own  with  a  light  like 
that  of  molten  steel. 

"  You  —  you  '11  not  —  not  murder  me !  "  he  panted. 

"  I  '11  break  your  neck  if  you  don't  keep  quiet  and 


LAFFIE     PLAYS  — BLAKE     TRUMPS      349 

mind,"  menaced  Blake.  He  sprang  erect.  "  Get  up  to 
your  desk  —  quick !  " 

Ashton  needed  no  urging.  As  he  scrambled  around 
to  the  chair,  Blake  picked  up  the  automatic  pistol  and 
tested  its  mechanism  with  expert  swiftness. 

"  Don't !     Don't !  "  implored  Ashton,  dodging  down. 

"  Bah!  Take  that  pen  —  write !  "  commanded 
Blake.  Ashton  clutched  at  his  pen  and  an  order  pad. 
"  Steady,  you  fool !  Now  write,  '  Bridge  in  danger. 
Strip  bare.  Blake  in  charge.'  '  Ashton  scribbled  with 
frantic  swiftness.  "  Got  that?  Sign  your  name  in  full 
as  Resident  Engineer." 

The  moment  Ashton  obeyed,  Blake  reached  over  and 
snatched  up  the  order  pad  and  an  indelible  pencil.  In 
his  other  hand  he  thrust  out  the  pistol  to  press  its  muzzle 
against  Ashton's  temple. 

"  Oh !  —  oh !  —  don't !  "  whimpered  the  coward. 

"  You  skunk !  "  growled  Blake.  "  Keep  your  mouth 
shut,  or  I  '11  smash  you  like  a  rattlesnake.  I  'm  going 
to  save  my  bridge.  Don't  get  in  my  way ! "  He 
pointed  with  the  pistol  toward  the  rear  door  of  the 
room.  "  What 's  in  there?  " 

"  My  —  my  quarters." 

"  Get  in  there !  Stay  in !  No  yawping !  "  The  terse 
orders  ended  in  a  flash  of  grim  humor.  "  You  're  sick. 
Mind  you  don't  get  worse." 

Ashton  was  already  slinking  into  his  apartment. 

There  was  a  rumble  of  freight  cars  outside.  Blake 
spun  about  on  his  heel  and  rushed  out  through  the  vesti- 
bule. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII 

ABOVE    THE    ABYSS 

A  TRAIN  loaded  with  steel  was  backing  out  tc 
the  bridge.  Blake  ran  down  the  track  to 
the  engine  and  swung  up  into  the  cab. 

"  Stop  her !  "  he  shouted. 

The  engine-driver  was  among  the  men  who  had  been 
introduced  to  Blake  on  his  visit  with  Griffith.  He 
recognized  the  engineer  at  the  first  glance. 

"  Hello,  Mr.  Blake !  "  he  sang  out.     "  You  here?  " 

"  Brakes ! "  cut  in  Blake  so  incisively  that  the  driver 
closed  his  throttle  and  applied  the  airbrakes  with  emer- 
gency swiftness.  Anticipating  his  questions,  Blake 
tersely  explained :  "  Bridge  in  danger.  I  'm  in  charge. 
Have  you  a  lot  of  empties  handy  ?  " 

"How?  —  bridge?"  queried  the  fireman,  peering 
around  at  the  stranger. 

"  Dozen  empties  — "  began  the  driver. 

"  Good !  "  said  Blake.     "  Clear  these  cars  and  — " 

"  What 's  this  ?  "  demanded  the  yardmaster,  who  had 
run  up  at  the  sudden  stoppage  of  the  train.  "  Back  on 
out,  Jones.  There  's  the  coal  to  switch." 

"  Damn  your  coal ! "  swore  Blake.  "  Get  a  big 
string  of  empties  out  the  bridge,  quick  as  you  can ! " 

"  Who  the  hell  are  you  ?  "  blustered  the  yardmaster. 
350 


ABOVE     THE     ABYSS  851 

"  Engineer  in  charge,"  answered  Blake,  holding  out 
Ashton's  order.  "  Bridge  in  danger  —  error  in  plans 
—  overloaded  —  and  weather  report  says  wind  1  Jones, 
toot  up  your  whistle  —  fire-call  —  anything!  I  want 
every  man  of  every  shift  out  here  in  two  shakes." 

Without  waiting  for  orders  from  the  yardmaster, 
Jones  signed  to  his  fireman,  reversed,  and  threw  open 
his  throttle.  The  fireman  clutched  the  whistle-cord  and 
began  jerking  out  a  succession  of  wild  shrieks  and  toots. 
As  the  train  started  away  from  the  bridge,  Blake  swung 
to  the  ground  to  meet  the  excited  men  who  came  running 
from  all  directions. 

He  held  Ashton's  order  close  under  the  nose  of  the 
yardmaster,  and  shouted  above  the  din  of  the  engine 
whistle :  "  See  that  ?  She  '11  go  when  the  wind  rises. 
Hustle  out  those  empties,  with  every  man  you  have." 

Impelled  by  the  engineer's  look,  the  yardmaster 
sprang  about  and  sprinted  alongside  the  train,  waving 
signals  to  his  switch  crew.  Blake  no  less  swiftly  sprang 
into  the  midst  of  the  mob  of  off-shift  men  streaming 
from  the  bunkhouse. 

"  I  'm  Blake  —  engineer  in  charge  —  from  Griffith !  " 
he  shouted.  "  Bridge  overloaded  —  will  go  down  when 
wind  rises.  We  've  got  to  clear  her.  She  may  go  down 
when  the  empties  back  out.  Any  yellow  cur  that  wants 
to  quit  can  call  for  his  pay-check.  I  'm  going  out. 
Come  on,  boys ! " 

He  started  along  the  service-track  at  a  quick  jog- 
trot. The  men,  without  a  single  exception,  followed 
him  in  a  mass,  jostling  each  other  for  the  lead.  Near 
the  outer  end  of  the  approach  span  they  met  the  morn- 


352          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

ing  shift  of  carpenters  and  laborers,  who  were  hurrying 
shoreward  in  response  to  the  wild  alarm  of  the  engine 
whistle.  Blake  waved  them  about. 

"  Bridge  in  danger !  "  he  shouted.  "  Volunteers  to 
clear  material." 

Few  of  the  carpenters  and  none  of  the  chattering 
Slovaks  and  Italians  caught  anything  except  the  word 
"  danger."  But  zeal  and  fearlessness  are  sometimes  as 
contagious  as  fear.  A  half-dozen  or  so  drew  aside  to 
slink  on  shoreward.  All  the  others  joined  the  silent 
eager  crowd  behind  Blake.  Before  they  had  gone  a 
hundred  feet  every  man  in  the  crowd  knew  that  at  any 
moment  the  huge  cantilever  might  crash  down  with  them 
to  certain  destruction  in  the  chasm,  yet  not  one  turned 
back. 

A  short  distance  beyond  the  cantilever  towers  they 
came  to  the  foremost  of  the  on-shift  steel  workers,  who 
had  halted  in  their  shoreward  run  when  they  saw  that 
the  outcoming  party  showed  no  sign  of  halting.  But 
those  in  their  rear  and  McGraw,  who  had  been  left  be- 
hind farthest  of  all  in  the  race,  were  still  moving  for- 
ward. 

Blake  waved  his  pad  to  McGraw  and  called  out  to  him 
over  the  heads  of  the  others :  "  Here 's  my  order !  I  'm 
in  charge.  Take  every  man  you  can  handle,  and  work 
the  main  traveller  to  the  towers.  Hustle !  " 

'*  Your  order !  "  wheezed  McGraw  stubbornly. 

Blake  was  already  close  upon  him.  He  had  dealt  be- 
fore with  men  of  McGraw's  character.  He  tore  off 
Ashton's  order,  thrust  it  into  the  other's  pudgy  hand, 


ABOVE     THE     ABYSS  353 

and  paused  to  scribble  an  order  to  hold  the  train  on  the 
shore  span. 

On  occasion  McGraw  could  be  nimble  both  in  mind 
and  body.  The  moment  he  had  read  Ashton's  order,  he 
wheeled  about  to  rush  back  the  way  he  had  come,  and 
let  out  a  bull-like  bellow :  "  Hi,  youse !  clear  Pr 
trav'ller !  Out-shift,  follow  me !  " 

The  steel  workers  who  had  been  on  shift  raced  after 
and  past  him  to  the  main  traveller.  He  followed  at  a 
surprisingly  rapid  pace,  bellowing  his  instructions. 
Blake,  holding  back  in  the  lead  of  his  far  larger  party 
from  the  shore,  began  to  issue  terse  orders  to  the  gangs 
of  carpenters  and  laborers.  They  strung  along  the 
extension  arm,  outward  from  the  point  where  the  floor- 
system  was  completed.  Before  Blake  could  pass  on 
ahead,  tons  of  beams  and  stringers,  iron  fittings  and  kegs 
of  bolts  and  nails  began  to  rain  down  into  the  abyss. 

Having  detailed  half  of  the  two  shore  shifts  of  steel 
workers  to  clear  the  way  for  the  inrolling  of  the  huge 
traveller,  Blake  took  the  other  half  out  with  him  to  the 
extreme  end  of  the  overhang.  As  soon  as  the  main 
traveller  began  its  slow  movement  shoreward,  he  ordered 
the  smaller  traveller  run  back  several  yards,  in  readiness 
to  load  the  heavier  pieces  of  structural  steel. 

All  his  own  men  being  now  engaged  in  the  most 
effectual  manner,  he  turned  about  to  quiet  McGraw,  who, 
for  once  shaken  out  of  his  phlegmatic  calm,  had  been 
reduced  to  a  state  of  apoplectic  rage  by  the  inability 
of  his  men  to  perform  miracles.  Blake's  cool  manner 

and  terse  directions  almost  redoubled  the  efficiency  of 
23 


354          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

the  workers.  The  main  traveller  began  to  creep  toward 
the  towers  with  relative  rapidity. 

Blake  walked  ahead  of  it,  to  steady  and  encourage  the 
gangs  that  toiled  and  sweat  in  the  frosty  sweep  of  the 
rising  wind.  He  came  back  again  to  the  overhang  and 
stood  for  a  few  moments  gazing  across  at  the  out- 
stretched tip  of  the  north  cantilever. 

Suddenly  his  face  lightened.  He  glanced  over  his 
shoulder  at  the  lofty  towers  behind  him,  nodded  deci- 
sively, and  hastened  back  to  where  McGraw,  once  more 
his  usual  stolid  taciturn  self,  was  extracting  every  ounce 
of  working  energy  out  of  the  men  who  swarmed  about 
the  main  traveller. 

"  Goin'  some ! "  he  grunted,  as  Blake  tapped  his  arm. 

"  Stop  her  fifty  feet  this  side  towers,"  ordered  Blake. 
"  How  many  central-span  sections  have  you  stacked  up 
out  here  ?  " 

"  All  'cept  four  north-side  'uns.  Last  come  this 
mornin'.  In  yards  yet." 

"  How  long  '11  it  take  us  to  rig  a  cable  tram  from  the 
traveller  across  to  the  north  'lever  ?  " 

"  Huh  ?  "  demanded  McGraw  blankly. 

"  We  '11  run  the  north-side  steel  across  by  tram,  and 
push  the  work  from  both  ends.  Once  the  central 
span 's  connected,  this  bridge  '11  stand  up  under  any 
load  that  can  be  piled  on  her." 

"  Wind  risin' —  an'  you  figurin'  on  construction 
work !  "  commented  McGraw. 

"  If  she  does  n't  go  to  smash  in  the  next  half -hour, 
we  '11  be  O.K.,"  answered  Blake  coolly.  "  That  train 
has  waited  long  enough.  You  look  to  the  steel.  Load 


ABOVE     THE     ABYSS  355 

the  first  sections  for  this  end  on  the  outermost  car.  We 
can  cut  it  off  the  train  at  the  towers." 

At  McGraw's  nod,  he  scratched  off  an  order  and  sent 
a  man  running  with  it  to  the  waiting  train.  Very 
shortly  the  three  outermost  cars  came  rolling  toward 
him,  pushed  by  the  switch  crew  and  a  gang  of  laborers. 
Their  weight  was  several  times  offset  by  the  weight  of 
flooring  material  that  had  already  been  hurled  from  the 
bridge. 

Blake  tested  the  force  of  the  wind,  noted  the  distance 
that  the  main  traveller  had  moved  shoreward,  and 
promptly  ordered  the  work  of  destruction  to  cease. 
Some  forty  or  fifty  thousand  dollars'  worth  of  material 
had  already  gone  over  into  the  strait,  and  he  was  too 
much  of  an  engineer  to  permit  unnecessary  waste. 

The  electro-magnetic  crane  of  the  smaller  traveller  was 
already  swinging  up  a  number  of  pieces  of  structural 
steel  to  load  on  the  cars  as  they  rolled  out  to  the  ex- 
treme end  of  the  service-track.  McGraw  came  hurry- 
ing to  take  charge  of  the  eager  loading  gang.  Blake 
went  out  past  them  to  the  end  of  the  overhang,  and 
perching  himself  on  a  pile  of  steel,  began  to  jot  down 
figures  and  small  diagrams  on  the  back  of  his  pad. 

He  was  still  figuring  when  a  cheer  from  the  car- 
loaders  caused  him  to  look  up.  The  cars,  which  had 
been  stacked  with  steel  to  their  utmost  capacity,  were 
being  connected  with  the  rear  of  the  train  by  means  of 
a  wire  rope.  In  response  to  the  signals  of  McGraw,  the 
engine  started  slowly  shoreward. 

Before  the  train  had  moved  many  yards  the  slack 
of  the  steel  rope  was  taken  up.  It  tautened  and  drew 


856         OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

up  almost  to  a  straight  line,  so  tense  that  it  sang  like 
a  violin  string  in  the  sharp  wind  gusts.  Then  the  steel- 
laden  cars  creaked,  started,  and  rolled  shoreward  after 
the  train,  groaning  under  their  burden.  The  men  all 
along  the  bridge  raised  a  wild  cheer. 

Blake  stepped  back  beside  McGraw. 

"  Well,  Mac,  guess  we  've  turned  the  trick,"  he  said. 

"Close, —  huh?"  replied  the  general* foreman,  hold- 
ing up  his  hand  to  the  wind. 

"  Close  enough,"  agreed  Blake.  "  She  might  have 
gone  any  minute  since  we  came  out.  Wheel  —  if  I 
had  n't  headed  off  that  train  of  steel !  Well,  a  miss  is 
as  good  as  a  mile.  She  '11  stand  now.  Next  thing  is 
to  connect  the  span." 

"  Huh?  "  ejaculated  McGraw.  "  Ain't  goin'  t'  tackle 
that,  Mr.  Blake,  'fore  reinforcin'  bottom-chords?" 

"  What !  Wait  for  auxiliary  bracing  to  come  on 
from  the  mills?  Not  on  your  life!  Once  connected, 
she  '11  be  unbreakable  —  all  strains  and  stresses  will  be 
so  altered  as  to  give  a  wide  margin  of  safety,  spite  of 
that  damned  skunk !  " 

"  Huh  ?  "  queried  McGraw. 

Blake's  lips  tightened  grimly,  but  he  ignored  the  ques- 
tion. 

"  We  '11  drive  the  work  on  twelve-hour  shifts, — 
double  pay  and  best  food  that  can  be  bought.  Divide 
up  the  force  now,  and  turn  in  with  your  shift  —  those 
who  most  need  sleep." 


CHAPTER  XXXIV 

"  THE    GUILTY    FLEE  " 

N    the    midst    of    the    wild    flurry    of    work    on 
the    bridge,    an    engine    from    the    junction  had 
puffed    into    the    switching   yards    with    a    single 
coach,  the  private  car  of  H.  V.  Leslie. 

Despite  the  shrill  whistle  that  signalled  its  approach, 
no  one  ran  out  to  meet  the  special, —  no  workman  ap- 
peared in  the  midst  of  the  sheds  and  material  piles  to 
stare  at  the  unexpected  arrival.  Irritated  at  this  in- 
attention, Mr.  Leslie  swung  down  from  his  car,  closely 
followed  by  Lord  James. 

"  What  can  this  mean?  "  he  demanded.  "  Not  a  man 
in  sight.  Entire  place  seems  deserted." 

"  Quite  true,"  agreed  Lord  James.  "  Ah,  but  out 
on  the  bridge  —  great  crowd  of  men  working  out  there. 
Seems  to  be  fairly  swarming  with  men." 

"  So  there  are  —  so  there  are.  Yet  why  so  many 
out  there,  and  none  in  the  yards  ?  " 

"  Can't  say,  I  'm  sure.  I  daresay  we  '11  learn  at  the 
office." 

"  Learn  what,  Mr.  Scarbridge  ?  "  asked  Dolores,  who 
had  popped  out  into  the  car  vestibule.  Without  waiting 
for  an  answer  or  for  his  assistance,  she  sprang  down  the 
steps,  waving  her  muff.  "  Come  on,  Vievie.  Don't 
wait  for  mamma." 

357 


S58          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do  ?  "  demanded  Mr.  Leslie. 

"  Hunt  for  our  heroic  hero,  of  course,"  answered  the 
girl. 

"  You  shall  do  no  such  thing,"  said  her  mother,  ap- 
pearing majestically  in  the  vestibule. 

Genevieve,  pale  and  calm  and  resolute,  came  out  past 
her  aunt. 

"  We  shall  go  to  Mr.  Ashton's  office,  papa,"  she  said, 
as  Lord  James  handed  her  down  the  steps.  "  If  Mr. 
Blake  is  not  there,  Mr.  Ashton  will  know  where  to  send 
for  him." 

"  Tom  's  out  on  the  bridge,"  stated  Lord  James. 

"  He  is?     How  do  you  know?  "  queried  Mr.  Leslie. 

"  It  5s  a  hundred  to  one  odds.  That  wire  to  Griffith 
— *  On  the  job,'  y'  know.  He  '11  be  where  the  most  work 
is  going  on.  I  '11  go  fetch  him." 

"  If  you  will,  James,"  said  Genevieve.  "  Tell  him 
that  papa  —  not  I  —  You  understand." 

"  Trust  me ! "  He  smiled,  glanced  appealingly  at 
Dolores,  met  a  frown,  and  started  briskly  away  out  the 
service-track. 

"Wait,"  ordered  Dolores.  "  I  '11  go,  too.  I've 
never  been  out  on  an  unfinished  bridge." 

"  You  '11  not.  You  '11  stay  ashore,"  interposed  her 
mother. 

"Oh  fudge!     Trot  along,  then,  Mr.  Scarbridge." 

At  her  call,  Lord  James  had  halted  and  turned  about, 
eagerly  expectant.  As,  disappointed,  he  started  on 
again,  she  addressed  Mr.  Leslie :  "  I  'm  not  going  back 
into  that  stuffy  car,  Uncle  Herbert.  Where  's  the  place 
you  call  the  office?  " 


"THE     GUILTY     FLEE"  359 

He  pointed  to  Ashton's  quarters,  and  she  skipped 
forward,  past  the  engine,  before  her  mother  could  in- 
terfere. The  others  followed  her,  wrapping  their  furs 
close  about  them  to  shut  out  the  bitterly  cold  wind. 

Dolores  was  still  in  the  lead  when  the  party  reached 
the  office,  but  she  paused  in  the  vestibule  for  her  uncle 
to  open  the  door.  When  he  entered,  she  stepped  in  after 
him,  followed  by  Genevieve  and  Mrs.  Gantry.  Darting 
his  glances  about  the  office  in  keen  search,  Mr.  Leslie 
crossed  the  room  to  stare  concernedly  at  the  litter  of 
torn  maps  and  papers  on  the  floor  in  front  of  the  desk. 
He  hurried  to  the  inner  door  and  rapped  vigorously. 
There  was  no  immediate  response.  He  rapped  again. 

The  door  opened  a  few  inches,  and  Ashton's  English 
valet  peered  in  at  the  visitors  with  a  timid,  startled  look. 

"Well?"  demanded  Mr.  Leslie.  "What  d' you 
mean,  sir,  gawking  that  way  ?  What 's  the  matter 
here  ?  —  all  these  papers  scattered  about  —  everybody 
out  on  the  bridge.  Who  are  you,  anyway  ?  " 

"  M-Mr.  Ashton's  m-man,  sir !  "  stuttered  the  valet. 

"  His  man  ?     Where  is  he  ?  —  out  on  the  bridge  ?  " 

"  N-no,  sir ;  in  his  rooms,  sir." 

"  Tell  him  to  come  here  at  once !  " 

"  Y-yes,  sir,  very  good,  sir.  But  I  fear  he  '11 
be  afraid  to  come  out,  sir.  Mr.  Blake  —  he  ordered 
'im  to  stay  in,  sir." 

"  Blake  ordered  him !  Why  ?  Speak  out,  man ! 
Why?" 

"  He  —  he  said  the  bridge  —  that  it  was  about  to 
fall,  sir." 

"  Bridge  —  about  to  fall?  " 


360         OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  Yes,  sir.  So  he  pulled  Mr.  Ashton  across  the  desk 
by  'is  neck  —  manhandled  'im  awful,  and  'e  told  'im  — " 

"What!  What!  Tell  Ashton  I'm  here  — Mr. 
Leslie !  Tell  him  to  come  at  once  —  at  once !  D'  you 
hear?  " 

As  the  valet  vanished,  Genevieve  darted  to  her  father, 
her  eyes  wide  with  swift-mounting  alarm.  "  Papa ! 
Did  n't  you  hear  him  ?  He  said  the  bridge  —  it 's  about 
to  fall!" 

"  He  did !  He  did ! "  cried  Dolores,  catching  the 
alarm.  "  Oh,  and  Jimmy  's  gone  out,  too !  " 

"  *  Jimmy  ' !  "  echoed  Mrs.  Gantry,  staring. 

The  girl  ran  to  the  windows  in  the  end  of  the  room, 
which  afforded  a  full  view  of  the  gigantic  bridge. 

"  Hurry !  Hurry,  papa !  Do  something !  "  cried 
Genevieve.  "  If  the  bridge  falls  — !  " 

"  Nonsense  I "  argued  her  father.  "  There  can't  be 
any  danger.  It 's  still  standing  —  and  all  those  men 
remaining  out  on  it.  If  there  was  any  danger  — 
Must  be  some  mistake  of  that  fool  valet." 

"  Then  why  are  there  no  men  ashore  ?  Why  are  they 
all  out  there  ? "  questioned  Genevieve  with  intuitive 
logic.  "  Oh !  it 's  true  —  I  know  it 's  true !  He  's  in 
danger !  And  James  —  both !  They  're  out  there  —  it 
will  fall !  He  '11  be  killed !  Send  some  one  —  tell  them 
to  come  ashore !  I  '11  go  myself !  " 

She  started  toward  the  door. 

"  No,  no,  let  me ! "  cried  Dolores,  darting  ahead  of 
her. 

"  Stop !  —  both  of  you !  "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Gantry. 
"Are  you  mad?  " 


"THE     GUILTY     FLEE"  361 

"  Stop  !  "  commanded  Mr.  Leslie. 

Genevieve  paused  and  stood  hesitating  before  the 
vestibule  door.  Dolores  darted  back  to  the  windows. 

A  voice  across  the  room  called  out :  "  That 's  — 
that 's  right !  There  's  no  need  to  go.  It 's  all  a  fake 
—  a  pretence !  " 

Staring  about,  Mr.  Leslie  and  the  ladies  saw  Ashton 
beside  the  inner  door.  He  was  striving  to  assume  an 
air  of  easy  assurance,  but  the  doorknob,  which  he  still 
grasped,  rattled  audibly. 

"  You  !  "  rasped  Mr.  Leslie.  "  What  you  doing  in 
here  —  skulking  in  here  ?  " 

Ashton  cringed  back,  all  the  assurance  stricken  from 
his  face. 

"  You  —  you  believe  him !  "  he  stammered.  "  But 
it 's  not  fair !  You  've  heard  only  his  side  —  his  lies 
about  me ! " 

"  Whose  lies  ?     Speak  out ! " 

"  His  —  Blake's  !  The  big  brute  took  me  by  sur- 
prise —  half  murdered  me.  He  came  here,  drunk  or 
crazy,  I  don't  know  which.  Pretended  the  bridge  was 
in  danger." 

"Pretended?     Is  n't  it?" 

"  All  rot !     Not  a  bit  of  it ! " 

"  What ! " 

"I  tell  you,  it's  all  a  put-up  job  —  a  frame-up. 
The  brute  thought  he  'd  get  in  with  you  again  —  you 
and  Genevieve.  He  schemed  to  discredit  me,  to  get  my 
place." 

"Blake?  —  he  did  that?"  eagerly  queried  Mrs. 
Gantry. 


862         OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  Yes ! "  cried  Ashton,  and  he  turned  again  to  Mr. 
Leslie.  "  Don't  you  see  ?  He  guessed  that  you  were 
coming  up.  So  he  sneaked  here  ahead  of  you  —  took 
away  my  pistol  and  threatened  to  murder  me  if  I  left 
my  rooms." 

Genevieve  looked  the  glib  relator  up  and  down,  white 
with  scorn. 

"You  lie!  "she  said. 

"  But  —  but  —  I  — "  he  stammered,  disconcerted. 
He  stepped  toward  her,  half  desperate.  "  It 's  the 
truth,  I  tell  you,  the  solemn  truth !  I  '11  swear  to  it ! 
It  was  there,  right  at  my  desk.  You  see  the  maps,  torn 
when  he  dragged  me  across  —  by  the  throat !  Look 
here  at  my  neck  —  at  the  marks  of  his  fingers !  " 

"  You  're  in  luck.  He  had  good  cause  to  break  your 
neck,"  commented  Mr.  Leslie. 

"  Herbert ! "  reproved  Mrs.  Gantry,  greatly  shocked. 

"  Papa !  Papa !  "  urged  Genevieve,  running  to  grasp 
her  father's  arm.  "  You  can't  believe  him !  If  Tom 
said  the  bridge  was  in  danger —  We  stand  here  do- 
ing nothing!  Send  some  one!  If  the  bridge  should 
fall—" 

"  Fall?  "  sneered  Ashton.  "  I  tell  you  it 's  safe,  safe 
as  a  rock.  Look  for  yourselves.  It 's  still  standing." 

"  Then  he  has  saved  it,"  snapped  Mr.  Leslie.  "  He  's 
saved  my  bridge  —  his  bridge !  While  you,  you  skulk- 
ing thief  — " 

Ashton  cringed  back  as  if  struck.  But  Genevieve 
dragged  her  father  about  from  him.  "  Don't  mind  him, 
papa !  What  does  that  matter  now?  Send  some  one  at 
once  1 " 


"THE     GUILTY     FLEE"  S63 

"  They  're  all  out  on  the  bridge  already,"  he  replied. 
"  There  's  no  one  to  send.  Wait !  I  '11  go  myself !  " 

"  Oh !  Oh !  The  train  has  started  on  shore  again 
—  it 's  coming  clear  off  the  bridge !  "  cried  Dolores. 
"  It  stopped  part  way,  near  this  end.  They  '11  be  on  it, 
they  '11  surely  be  on  it.  Yes,  yes !  There  he  is ! 
There  's  Jimmy !  " 

She  flung  up  a  window-sash  and  leaned  far  out,  wav- 
ing her  handkerchief.  Her  mother  turned  to  Genevieve, 
who  stood  as  if  dazed. 

"  My  dear,"  she  said,  "  do  you  not  understand? 
Lord  James  is  safe  —  quite  safe !  " 

"  Yes  ?  "  replied  Genevieve  vaguely. 

"And  Blake!"  exclaimed  Mr.  Leslie.  "He'll  of 
course  be  coming,  too.  I  'm  going  to  meet  him  —  learn 
the  truth." 

He  cast  a  threatening  glance  at  Ashton,  and  went  out 
like  a  shot. 

"  Uncle  Herbert,  take  me  with  you ! "  called  Dolores, 
flying  out  after  him. 

"  Blake !  —  coming  here !  "  gasped  Ashton.  He  ran 
to  place  himself  before  Genevieve,  who  was  about  to  go 
out.  "  Wait,  wait,  Miss  Genevieve,  please !  Save  me ! 
He  —  he  said  he  'd  smash  me  if  I  talked  —  he  did !  He 
did!  Don't  let  him  hurt  me!  He  threatened  to  kill 
me  —  it 's  true  —  true !  " 

"Threatened  to  kill  you?"  repeated  Mrs.  Gantry. 
"  Genevieve,  call  back  your  father.  If  the  man  really  is 
violent,  as  Lafayette  says  — " 

"  Aunt  Amice !  "  remonstrated  Genevieve.  "  Can  you 
believe  this  miserable  creature  for  an  instant?" 


364,          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  But  it 's  true  —  it  is  true ! "  gasped  Ashton. 
"  Mrs.  Gantry,  dear,  dear  Mrs.  Gantry,  you  '11  believe 
me!  He  will  kill  me!  Take  me  aboard  the  car! 
Please,  please  take  me  aboard  the  car  and  hide  me ! " 

"  My  dear  Genevieve,"  said  Mrs.  Gantry,  "  the  poor 
boy  is  really  terrified." 

"  Take  him  to  the  car,  if  you  wish,"  replied  Gene- 
vieve. "  He  can  leave  it  at  the  junction." 

"  Oh,  thank  you,  thank  you,  Miss  Genevieve !  "  stam- 
mered Ashton. 

But  Genevieve  went  out  without  looking  at  him.  He 
followed  with  Mrs.  Gantry,  keeping  close  beside  her. 


CHAPTER  XXXV 

THE    FUTURE    COUNTESS 

AS  the  fugitive  and  his  protectress  passed  out 
through  the  verandah  and  turned  away  from 
the  bridge  toward  the  car,  they  were  relieved 
to  see  that  Blake  was  not  yet  in  sight.     Genevieve  was 
hastening  out  the  track  to  where  her  father  and  Dolores 
and  Lord  James  stood  beside  the  heavily  loaded  bridge- 
service  train. 

Before  Genevieve  could  reach  the  others,  Lord  James 
and  Dolores  came  toward  her,  and  Dolores  cried  out 
the  j  oyf id  news :  "  It 's  safe,  Vievie !  —  the  bridge 
is  safe  now!  Mr.  Blake  will  be  ashore  in  a  few 
minutes." 

"  You  're  sure,  James  ?  "  asked  Genevieve.  "  Quite 
safe  ?  —  and  he  —  ?  " 

"  Yes,  yes,  give  you  my  word !  Perfectly  safe  now, 
he  said,  and  he  '11  be  coming  soon.  Er  —  Miss  Dolores, 
there  *s  your  mother  going  back  to  the  car." 

"And  Laffie  with  her!" 

"  Quite  true  —  quite  true.  I  say  now  —  you  've  left 
your  muff  in  the  office.  You'll  be  chilled  —  nipping 
keen  wind,  this.  We  'd  best  go  inside  while  we  're  wait- 
ing." 

"  Yes,"  agreed  the  girl.     "  Come  back  in,  Vievie." 
865 


866         OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  No,  no,  dear.  I  '11  come  later.  I  '11  wait  here  with 
papa." 

"  Ah,  if  you  prefer,"  murmured  Lord  James.  "  But 
you,  Miss  Dolores  —  really  you  should  not  stand  out 
in  this  wind." 

"  Oh,  well,  if  you  insist,"  she  acquiesced,  with  seem- 
ing reluctance. 

"  I  do,  indeed ! "  he  replied,  and  he  hurried  her  to 
the  office. 

When  they  entered,  he  led  her  to  the  big  drum  heat- 
ing stove  in  the  corner  of  the  room,  and  went  across 
to  the  inner  door.  He  opened  it,  and  called  a  terse 
order  to  Ashton's  valet.  He  then  closed  the  door  and 
locked  it. 

Dolores  started  to  edge  toward  the  outer  door.  But 
he  was  too  quick  for  her.  He  hastened  across  and 
cut  off  her  retreat. 

"  No,  no !  "  he  declared.     "  You  sha'n't  run  away." 

"  Run  away?  "  she  rejoined,  drawing  herself  up  with 
a  strong  show  of  indignation. 

"  It 's  —  it 's  the  very  first  opportunity  I  've  had  — 
the  first  time  alone  with  you  all  these  days,"  he  an- 
swered. "  I  must  insist !  I  —  I  beg  your  pardon,  but 
I  must  find  out,  really  I  must !  It  seemed  to  me  that 
—  that  just  now  you  waved  to  me,  from  the  window." 

"  To  you?  But  how  could  I  tell,  so  far  off,  that  Mr. 
Blake  was  not  on  the  train  ?  " 

"  So  that  was  it? "  he  replied,  suddenly  dashed. 
"  Very  stupid  of  me  —  very !  Yet  —  yet  —  I  must  say 
it !  Miss  Gantry  —  Dolores,  you  've  insisted  on  show- 
ing me  your  deepened  dislike  even  since  that  evening. 


THE     FUTURE     COUNTESS  367 

But  you  're  so  sincere,  so  candid  —  if  only  you  '11  tell 
me  my  faults,  I  '11  do  anything  I  possibly  can  to  please 
you,  to  win  your  regard !  " 

"Ho!  so  that's  it?"  she  jeered.  "Because  Vievie 
threw  you  over,  you  think  I  '11  do  as  second  choice  — 
you  think  I  'm  waiting  to  catch  you  on  the  rebound." 

"You?"  he  exclaimed.  "How  could  that  be? 
You  've  always  been  so  frank  in  showing  your  dislike 
for  me  —  how  could  I  think  that?  But  if  only  I  might 
convince  you  how  desirous  I  am  to  —  to  overcome 
your  antipathy ! " 

"  Lord  Avondale,"  she  said,  "  it  is  probable  that  you 
are  laboring  under  a  misconception.  I  am  not  an 
heiress ;  I  am  not  wealthy.  We  are  barely  well-to-do. 
So,  you  see — " 

"  Ah,  yes !  And  you  — "  he  exclaimed,  stepping 
nearer  to  her  — "  you,  then,  shall  see  that  it  is  your- 
self alone!  If  I  can  but  win  you!  Tell  me,  now  — 
why  is  it  you  dislike  me?  I  '11  do  anything  in  my 
power.  Forget  I  'm  my  father's  son  —  that  I  'm  Eng- 
lish. I  must  win  you!  Tell  me  how  I  can  overcome 
your  dislike ! " 

Dolores  drew  back,  blushing  first  scarlet  then  crimson 
with  blissful  confusion.  All  her  ready  wit  fled  from 
her  and  left  her  quivering  with  the  sweet  agitation  of 
her  love. 

"  But  it 's  —  it 's  not  true,  Jimmy !  "  she  whispered. 
"  I  don't  —  I  'm  not  what  you  think  me !  I  'm  not 
sincere  or  honest  —  I'm  just  a  liar!  I've  been  pre- 
tending all  along.  It's  not  true  that  I  ever  disliked 
you!" 


368         OUT    OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  Not  true?  "  he  asked  incredulously. 

She  gave  him  a  glance  that  answered  him  far  more 
clearly  than  words.  He  started  toward  her  impulsively. 

"  Dolores !  —  it  can't  be !  " 

She  avoided  him,  in  an  attempt  to  delay  the  inevitable 
surrender. 

"  Ware  danger,  your  earlship !  "  she  mocked.  "  I 
warn  you  I  'm  a  designing  female.  How  do  you  know 
it's  not  the  coronet  I'm  after?" 

"  Dearest ! "  he  exclaimed,  and  this  time  he  succeeded 
in  capturing  the  hand  that  she  flung  out  to  fend  him 
off. 

"  Wait  —  wait !  "  she  protested.  "  This  is  most  — 
ah  —  indecorous.  Think  how  shocked  mamma  would 
be.  You  have  n't  even  declared  your  intentions." 

"  My  intentions,"  he  stated,  "  are  to  do  —  this !  " 
He  boldly  placed  his  arm  about  her  shoulders,  and  bent 
down  over  her  back-tilted  head.  "  My  dear  Miss 
Gantry,  I  have  the  honor  of  saluting  the  future  Countess 
of  Avondale ! " 

Instead  of  shrinking  from  him,  as  he  half  feared,  she 
slipped  an  arm  up  about  his  neck. 

With  a  blissful  sigh,  she  drew  back  from  the  kiss,  to 
answer  him  in  a  tone  of  tender  mockery :  "  The  Right 
Honorable  the  Earl  of  Avondale  is  informed  that  his 
—  ah  —  salute  is  received  with  pleasure." 

«  Darling ! " 

"  Wait,"  she  teased.  "  You  have  it  all  turned 
'round.  You  've  yet  to  tell  me  the  exact  moment  when 
Vievie  took  second  place." 

"My  word!     How  am  I  to  answer  that?     Really, 


THE     FUTURE     COUNTESS  369 

it's  quite  impossible  to  tell.     You  piqued  my  interest 
from  the  very  first." 

"  But  did  you  still  lo  —  like  Vievie  when  you  pro- 
posed to  her?  " 

"  Er  —  yes  —  quite  true.  That  was  the  day  after 
our  arrival  from  New  York,  y'  know." 

"  Of  course.  But  I  wished  to  make  doubly  sure  that 
you  were  sincere  with  her.  Oh,  Jimmy,  to  think  I  've 
got  you,  after  all !  I  'm  so  happy !  " 

He  promptly  offered  another  salute,  which  was  not 
refused. 

The  sound  of  quick  steps  in  the  vestibule  startled 
them.  Dolores  sprang  away  as  Genevieve  came  hurry- 
ing in,  too  agitated  to  heed  her  cousin's  blushes. 

"  Oh !  I  'm  so  glad  you  're  still  here ! "  she  panted. 
"  He  's  coming  ashore.  I  —  I  told  papa  to  tell  him 
that  —  but  not  that  I  'm  here !  I  must  —  I  want 
to—" 

"  To  play  puss-in-the-corner  with  your  Tom,"  rallied 
Dolores.  "  Oh,  Vievie !  who  'd  have  thought  it  ? 
You  've  lost  your  head !  Hide  over  here  behind  the 
stove." 

Greatly  to  her  surprise,  Genevieve  instantly  ran  over 
and  hid  herself  in  the  corner  behind  the  big  stove. 
Dolores  and  Lord  James  stared  at  one  another.  It 
was  the  first  time  that  they  had  ever  seen  Genevieve 
flurried. 

"Why,  Vievie!"  exclaimed  the  girl,  "I  actually 
believe  you  're  frightened." 

"  No,  I  'm  not.  It 's  only  that  I  must  have  time 
to  —  to  think." 


370         OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

"  Ah,"  said  Lord  James,  with  sympathetic  readiness. 
"  I  shall  go  out  and  meet  him  —  detain  him  a  bit." 

"  No,  no.  It 's  very  kind  of  you,  James.  But 
there 's  no  need.  If  only  you  and  Dolores  will  wait 
and  speak  with  him.  I  —  I  wish  to  hear  how  his  voice 
sounds  —  first." 

"  Well,  of  all  things  !  "  rallied  Dolores.  "  Can't  you 
imagine  how  it  will  sound?  He  '11  be  hoarse  as  a  crow, 
after  shouting  all  his  heroic  orders  to  save  the  bridge. 
Ten  to  one,  he  '11  have  a  fine  cold,  too  —  out  there  in 
this  wind.  Jimmy  says  it 's  really  nawsty,  y'  know, 
with  the  beastly  zephyrs  wafting  through  the  bloomin' 
steel-work,  and  the  water  so  deuced  far  down  below  — 
quite  a  bit  awful,  don't  y'  know !  " 

"  Don't  tease,  dear,"  begged  Genevieve.  "  But  you 
said  *  Jimmy  ' !  Oh,  have  you  really  —  ?  " 

Her  face  appeared  around  the  bulge  of  the  stove, 
flushed  with  delight.  But  the  sound  of  a  heavy  tread 
in  the  verandah  caused  it  to  disappear  on  the  instant. 

Blake  came  in  slowly  and  with  anything  but  an 
elated  look.  It  was  evident  .that  Mr.  Leslie  had  re- 
frained from  rousing  his  expectations.  He  stared  at 
Dolores  in  surprise. 

"You,  Miss  Dolores?" 

"  What  ?  "  she  teased.  "  You  surely  did  not  think  it 
would  be  Vievie,  did  you?  " 

"Didn't  think—" 

"  Yes  —  with  Jimmy."  She  held  out  her  hand  to 
Lord  James,  who  clasped  it  fondly. 

Blake  caught  the  glance  that  passed  between  them. 
His  face  darkened. 


THE     FUTURE     COUNTESS  371 

"  Her?  "  he  muttered.  "  Did  n't  think  you  were  the 
kind  to  play  fast  and  loose,  Jimmy!" 

"  Tom !  You  can't  believe  that  of  me !  "  protested  the 
Englishman.  "  Could  n't  explain  matters  out  there 
among  all  your  men,  y»  know,  but  Genevieve  insisted 
upon  terminating  our  engagement  the  very  morning 
after.  I  had  said  nothing.  She  had  already  seen  her 
mistake." 

"  Mistake?  "  queried  Blake. 

"You  men  are  so  silly,"  criticised  Dolores,  with  a 
mischievous  glance  toward  the  stove.  "  You  ought 
to  've  known  she  loved  you,  all  the  time.  Of  course 
you  won't  believe  it  till  she  herself  tells  you." 

Blake  looked  about  the  room.  Genevieve  was  close 
behind  the  stove.  He  shook  his  head  and  muttered 
despondently :  "  Till  she  tells  me ! " 

"  Did  you  ever  play  puss-in-the-corner? "  asked 
Dolores. 

"  You  witch ! "  exclaimed  Lord  James.  To  divert 
her  attention,  he  drew  her  to  him  and  slipped  a  ring  on 
her  slender  finger.  "  Ha !  Caught  you  napping ! 
It's  on  — fast!" 

She  gave  him  an  adorable  look.  "  If  it  Js  ever  taken 
off,  you  '11  have  to  do  it." 

"  That  shall  be  —  never !  "  he  replied.  Drawing  her 
arm  through  his,  he  led  her  toward  the  door.  "  We  're 
on  our  way,  Tom.  See  you  later  at  the  car,  I  daresay. 
Must  go  now  to  break  the  news  to  *  Mamma.'  " 

"  Won't  she  be  surprised !  "  exulted  Dolores.  "  It 's 
such  a  joke  that  you  and  Genevieve  didn't  tell  her! 
She  's  so  sure  of  her  methods  —  so  sure.  She  '11  find 


372          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

there  are  others  who  have  methods,  won't  she,  Lord 
Avondale  ?  " 

"  Most  charming  methods  !  "  agreed  Lord  James. 

"  S'  long,  Jimmy !  "  said  Blake,  gripping  the  other's 
carelessly  offered  hand.  "  Here  's  congratulations  and 
good  luck  to  you!  Tell  her  —  tell  the  others  good- 
bye for  me.  I  '11  not  come  to  the  car.  Tell  'em  I  'm 
too  —  too  busy." 

"  Right-o !  But  we  '11  look  to  see  you  in  town  before 
a  great  while,"  replied  Lord  James,  and  he  hurried 
Dolores  out  through  the  vestibule. 

From  the  verandah  the  girl's  clear  voice  sounded 
through  the  closed  doors,  free  and  merry,  almost  mock- 
ing. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI 

THE    OUTCOME 

BLAKE  stood  where  the  lovers  had  left  him. 
Their  sudden  and  seemingly  indifferent  leave- 
taking  had  added  its  quota  of  depression  to 
his  already  sinking  spirit.  When  he  had  come  ashore 
and  had  been  intercepted  by  Mr.  Leslie  he  already 
had  begun  to  feel  the  reaction  from  the  strain  and 
excitement  of  those  interminable  minutes  and  hours  on 
the  bridge  —  the  frightful  responsibility  of  keeping  all 
those  hundreds  of  men  out  on  the  gigantic  structure, 
which  at  any  second  might  have  crashed  down  with 
them  to  certain  destruction. 

Now  even  the  remembrance  that  he  had  saved  the 
bridge  could  not  stimulate  him.  Mr.  Leslie's  friendly 
praise,  even  his  more  than  cordial  hand-grip,  seemed 
meaningless.  The  world  had  suddenly  turned  drab  and 
gray.  Her  father  had  stated  vaguely  that  some  one  was 
waiting  to  speak  with  him  in  the  office.  He  had  has- 
tened in,  half  hoping  to  find  her  —  and  had  found  only 
them. 

He  had  saved  the  bridge;  he  had  found  strength  to 
do  the  square  thing  by  Mr.  Leslie  and  even  Ashton. 
And  now  they  were  all  gone,  even  Jimmy,  and  he  was 
alone  —  alone !  .  .  .  She  had  come  with  the  party. 

373 


374          OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

He  was  certain  that  some  one  had  told  him  that.  Yet 
she  had  not  spoken  to  him.  She  had  not  even  let  him 
see  her! 

He  went  heavily  across  the  room  to  the  desk,  and  drop- 
ping into  a  chair,  began  methodically  to  gather  up  and 
fold  the  torn  and  rumpled  blueprints  upon  the  floor. 
But  even  an  almost  automatic  habit  has  its  limitations. 
A  drawing  slipped,  half -folded,  from  his  listless  fingers. 
He  groaned  and  leaned  forward  "upon  the  desk,  with 
his  face  buried  in  his  arms. 

Genevieve  came  out  from  her  hiding  place  very 
quietly,  and  stood  gazing  at  Blake.  It  was  the  first 
time  that  she  had  ever  seen  him  give  way  to  grief  or 
suffering.  Always  he  had  stood  before  her  firm  and 
unyielding,  even  when  most  certain  of  defeat.  It  had 
never  occurred  to  her  that  he  could  be  other  than  hard 
and  defiant  over  his  own  struggles  and  sorrows. 

All  the  mother-love  of  her  woman's  nature  welled  up 
from  her  heart  in  a  wave  of  tenderness  and  compassion. 
She  went  to  him  and  laid  her  hand  softly  on  his  di- 
shevelled head. 

"  Tom ! "  she  soothed.     "  Tom !     You  poor  boy !  " 

The  touch  of  her  hand  had  stricken  his  body  rigid 
with  suspense.  But  at  the  sound  of  her  voice  he  slowly 
raised  his  head  and  fixed  his  eyes  upon  her  in  an  in- 
credulous stare. 

"  It  is  I,  Tom.  Don't  you  know  me? "  she  half 
whispered,  shrinking  back  a  little  way  before  the  wildness 
of  his  look. 

"  You!  "  he  gasped.  He  rose  heavily.  "  Excuse 
me.  I  thought  you  were  with  them  —  on  the  car." 


THE     OUTCOME  375 

"Did  not  papa  tell  you?" 

"  He  said  something.  I  thought  I  had  mistaken  him. 
But  you  are  here." 

"  Yes.  I  —  I  waited  to  speak  with  you  —  to  tell 
you  — " 

"  You  told  me  that  night  all  that 's  necessary,"  he 
said,  averting  his  head  to  hide  the  look  of  pain  that 
he  could  not  repress. 

"  I  was  beside  myself ! "  she  replied.  "  You  should 
have  known  that,  Tom.  How  else  could  I  have  told 
you  —  told  you  — " 

"  The  truth !  "  he  broke  in.  "  Don't  think  I  blame 
you,  Miss  Jenny.  Don't  blame  yourself." 

"  No,  no,  you  do  not  understand ! "  she  insisted. 
"  Wait  —  what  did  you  and  papa  do  ?  " 

"  Made  it  up.  So  that 's  one  thing  less  to  worry 
you.  He  did  it  handsomely.  Cracked  me  up  for  sav- 
ing his  bridge." 

"  Your  bridge,  too  !  " 

«  What !     You  know  that?  " 

"  Yes,  and  that  you  're  to  be  partner  with  Mr.  Grif- 
fith —  finish  your  bridge,  and  build  that  great  dam  you 
invented,  and  —  and  if  you  wish,  be  partner  in  some  of 
papa's  business." 

"  That 's  too  much.  I  told  him  I  'd  be  satisfied  with 
the  credit  for  my  bridge  truss." 

"Only  that?  Surely  you'll  not  give  up  the 
bridge?" 

"  Well,  't  is  n't  fair  to  kick  a  man  when  he 's  down. 

Ashton  will  have  a  tough  enough  time  of  it,  I  guess, 

'  from  what  your  father  said.     He  's  to  be  allowed  to 


S76         OUT     OF     THE     PRIMITIVE 

resign,  on  condition  that  he  acknowledges  that  he  bor- 
rowed my  bridge  truss." 

"  Borrowed?  " 

"  Yes.  It  seems  that  his  father  is  one  of  your 
father's  particular  friends.  So  that 's  all  settled." 

She  looked  at  him  with  radiant  eyes.  "  Tom ! 
You  're  even  bigger  —  more  generous  —  than  I  had 
thought ! " 

"  Don't !  "  he  muttered,  drawing  back.  "  It  makes  it 
so  much  harder.  You  don't  realize !  " 

"  Don't  I  ?  "  she  whispered,  the  color  mounting  swiftly 
in  her  down-bent  face.  "  That  night  —  that  fearful 
night,  I  —  Tell  me  —  has  James  explained  how  we 
searched  for  you  ?  —  everywhere,  all  those  days  !  We 
telegraphed  all  over  the  country.  James  searched  the 
city,  and  papa  had  all  his  private  agents  —  Where 
did  you  go  ?  " 

"  South." 

"  South?  Oh,  and  all  this  time  —  But  that 's  past 
now  —  all  the  dreadful  waiting  and  anxiety !  Could 
you  but  'know  our  delight  when  Mr.  Griffith  telegraphed 
that  you  were  here !  " 

"  What !     Then  you  came  because  — " 

"  Yes,  yes,  to  find  you.  Don't  you  see?  We  should 
have  been  here  sooner,  only  the  telegram  was  not  de- 
livered until  after  midnight,  and  I  had  to  persuade 
Aunt  Amice.  She  refused,  until  after  I  said  I  'd  come 
anyway.  But  of  course  she  does  n't  know,  even  now. 
Oh,  Tom !  Tom !  —  to  think  you  're  over  that  dread- 
ful attack  and — " 

"  Attack?  "  he  inquired. 


THE     OUTCOME  377 

"  The  one  that  started  that  night  —  through  my 
fault  —  mine !  " 

"Your  fault?"  he  repeated.  "How  on  earth  do 
you  make  that  out  ?  " 

"  I  should  have  seen  —  understood !  James  had  tried 
to  explain ;  but  I  was  overwrought.  Not  until  you  were 
going  —  But  that  is  all  past,  dear !  I  've  come  to  tell 
you  that  now  you  must  let  me  help  you.  It  is  not  right 
for  you  to  fight  alone  —  to  refuse  my  aid,  when  I  — 
when  I  —  love  you !  " 

"Jenny!     You    can't   mean   it?     After  that   night 

—  after  what  I  did  that  night !  " 

"Yes,"  she  whispered.  "If  you  —  if  you'll  for- 
give me." 

"But  —  the  drinking?" 

"  You  can  win !  You  proved  it  that  night,  when 
you  crushed  the  glass.  I  no  longer  fear,  Tom.  All 
my  doubt  has  gone.  Even  without  my  help  I  know 
that  you —  But  I  want  to  do  my  share,  dear.  If 
you  're  —  you  're  willing,  we  '11  be  married,  and  — " 

"  Jenny ! "  He  stood  for  a  moment,  overcome. 
Then  the  words  burst  from  his  deep  chest :  "  Girl ! 
Girl!  —  God!  to  think  that  I  have  that  to  tell  you! 
Yes,  it 's  true  —  I  proved  it  that  night  —  I  won  out 
that  night!  Do  you  hear,  Jenny?  I  broke  the  curse! 
I  proved  it  when  I  left  you  —  went  out  into  the  night 

—  after  drinking  all  that  whiskey  —  went  down  into 
the  stockyards,  past  the  worst  saloons,  all  the  joints. 
I  went  in  and  stood  about,  in  all  the  odor  —  whiskey, 
beer  —  one  after  the  other,  I  went  in,  and  came  out 
again,  without  having  touched  a  drop.     All  the  time 


378         OUT    OF    THE     PRIMITIVE 

I  kept  remembering  that  I  had  lost  you ;  but  —  I  knew  I 
had  found  myself." 

"Tom!" 

"  When  I  had  made  sure,  I  went  to  the  freight  yards, 
got  into  a  fruit-car,  and  went  to  sleep.  When  I  woke 
up,  I  was  on  the  way  to  New  Orleans.  Been  hoboing 
ever  since." 

«Oh!" 

"  Best  thing  for  me.  Put  kinks  into  my  body,  but 
took  'em  all  out  of  my  brain.  About  the  drinking  — 
it  was  n't  that  night  alone.  I  've  kept  testing  myself 
every  chance  — even  took  a  taste  to  make  sure.  Now 
I  know.  It 's  the  simple  truth,  Jenny.  I  've  won." 

"  My  man!  "  she  cried,  and  she  came  to  him  as  he 
opened  his  arms. 


THE   END 


J3J 


*1* 


